All New Homo Superior
by Vahn
Summary: [Sequel to Homo Superior House of M] While the world has changed immensely after the House of M event. Two things still remains the same, misunderstanding and Chaos.
1. Avengers vs X-Men: Prologue

Ranma belongs to Rumiko Sensei

X-Men belongs to Marvel Studios

All New Homo Superior

 **Special thanks to Riniko and Mingyu for doing WORK!**

Re-Introduction

*** Three Years After M-Day***

Saffron Saotome-Grey looked down at the massive structure below him. Hovering high above it, the supposedly Omega-class mutant waited for any of the occupants to come and greet him pr else he might be viewed as an intruder. It was a large complex, built on what was once Magneto's Brotherhood base, Asteroid M. Underneath the asteroid, from what Saffron had read in the papers, lay the remnants of Namor's people after an attack by a villain of the Avengers, a woman called Morgan La Fey.

"Oh my god, little-Saffron?" a female with a heavy Southern accent called out to him. Saffron turned to see a beautiful brown-haired woman with a streak of white in her hair flying toward him.

"Not so little anymore, Ms. Marie," Saffron politely replied with a nod of his head, to which the woman rolled her eyes.

"Call me Rogue, sugah. Gawd, it's only been three years! What the hell happened to ya?" Rogue asked as she hovered. She knew she was supposed to take in a new student, but she never imagined it'd be little-Saffron. The last time she'd seen him had been after a certain pigtailed boy's funeral. Back then the winged boy had only looked around five or six. Now he looked more like a teenager, around fifteen or sixteen.

Saffron sighed and told the abbreviated story of his last few years...again. How he and the Fantastic Four's family ended up on another world and had to live there until Reed Richards was able to build a device to bring them back. The undertaking was staggering; the genius scientist had to advance through the stages of technology, starting from the stone age all the way to the modern age. He did that in ten years. Well, him and Valeria.

"Wow… and there was no way to reverse it?" Rogue asked, looking at the former kid she had once known.

"No," Saffron shook his head softly. Reed Richards had tried to find a way but, after the experiences they all had growing up, neither the Richards siblings or himself were eager to grow up again.

Rogue looked at the boy critically. He was wearing a spandex version of what Ranma used to wear. Mostly white, while the trimming, edges and buttons were red. His short, fluffy hair that used to make him look adorable was now long and tied in a ponytail. Perhaps in an effort to emulate his father? He looked fit, tall, and he had a pretty face. In fact, the only thing that did seem out of place was his wingspan, it looked the same size as when he was a child. Sure, he was flying with it, but it didn't compare to Angel or Icarus'. She wondered why that was. Unfortunately, Saffron noticed her stare and ducked his gaze, clearly embarrassed. The shy action was decidedly cute.

"So you ended up choosing Utopia, hmm? Why not Wolverine's school?" Rogue tilted her head casually.

"He did name it after your momma."

Saffron frowned a bit, but shrugged. "Me and him never really got along, although I'm grateful he rebuilt mother and father's graves."

And Saffron truly _was_ grateful. To learn that while he was in another world, stuck in another time, the Xavier Institute was destroyed by Sentinels made him furious.

"Wow, ya sound like a bit of a stiff there, Saffy," Rogue teased the teen before her with his childhood nickname.

"Auntie Sue's lessons, I'm afraid," Saffron gave a long suffering sigh. The woman was a slave driver, but he loved her all the same. She was almost as warm as his real mother. Sure, the circumstances surrounding his parentage were explained to him when he was old enough to understand, but he didn't care. They were his parents. They cared for him, loved him. Even his father, despite how he always grumbled otherwise.

"I always knew she'd be a straight ruler," Rogue joked before she asked a question that was weighing on her mind.

"Still, why did ya decide to leave home? The Baxter building is just as good, right?"

Saffron suddenly looked uncomfortable, but he answered truthfully. "My father would have wanted it that way."

Rogue's eyes widened and misted for just a second before she nodded. Saffron recalled how his father's advice had helped him solve a major problem at the Richards' residence. Saffron could remember it like it was yesterday.

It had been the final day of their training trip, after they met Ms. Ukyou. They had spent the night at the Saotome residence. Myst and Laura had shared a room while Ranma doubled up with him.

 _'Who's Ukyou, Daddy?'_

 _'My best friend when I was a kid.'_

 _'… If she was your best friend, why did she want to hurt you?'_

 _'Son?'_

 _'Yes, Daddy?'_

 _'Want some advice for the future?'_

 _'Un!'_

 _'If you ever find a girl you view like a sister after you, wanting to marry you. Run. Run as far as you can and don't look back.'_

 _'Run?'_

 _'Run.'_

 _'Okay!'_

And Saffron took his advice literally, as Utopia was literally on the other side of America. That should put enough distance between him and Valeria.

"Well, enough chit chat, let's get you to your new home!" Rogue winked as she motioned for him to follow her.

Saffron spread his wings and flew after the woman to a courtyard where several mutants were mulling around. He saw several people turned their heads to look at him. He looked down to make sure everything was okay. Was it his clothes? He had other clothes, of course, but he decided that this was going to be his combat uniform.

"Oh my! Who's the new hottie?!"

"Pixie, are you okay? Girl, talk to me!"

"Close your mouth before you catch flies, Loa!"

Saffron blushed a bit, hearing what he did. He couldn't help having great hearing. He chalked that up to his avian nature. Rogue landed pretty soon after and he was greeted by Miss Frost and Mister Summers.

"Saffron," Scott Summers, aka Cyclops, was the first to welcome him with a firm handshake. "I'm glad you choose to reside on Utopia. I really am. I had thought you'd go to Wolverine's school because..."

"Most of the people I'm familiar with are here, Mr. Summers. It just made sense." Saffron explained to the visored mutant. "Besides, my father would have preferred for me to learn how to fight, rather than focus on studying."

"Well, we are glad to have you here, Mr. Grey," Ms. Frost greeted him, before her expression turned evil. "But even though we train all of our students to fight, we are STILL a learning institution. You will be attending classes with everyone else, young man."

Saffron groaned a bit and sighed. More learning again? He had learned enough for a lifetime at the Richards', maybe even two! He wanted to have fun and learn how to fight, like how his dad had started teaching him. Though it had been a while, he still recalled with clarity some of the moves his father had shown him. They were all so very cool!

"In the meantime, however," Scott Summers cut in while shaking his head at his lover. "I suggest you get yourself familiar with the facility. I do believe classes start tomorrow."

Saffron smiled as the two adults left. He guessed the X-Men veterans were so used to weird things happening that him suddenly aging ten years in three years was no big deal.

+++ Utopia +++

"Finally, there's the bathrooms, if you need it. Boys to the left, girls to the right," Rogue was in charge of getting Saffron acquainted.

He saw a lot of stares directed his way; he guessed that when the mutant population was so small, any new ones were bound to turns some heads.

"And I think that's it. You'd be bunking with the boys, since space is pretty much at a premium here," Rogue explained apologetically as she opened the door, only for Saffron to see three people already in the room. The first was a Latino male with black hair, the second looked Japanese, although his face was severely mutated, and the last one was a stocky blonde-haired white boy who was acting like a dog as he ignored Rogue's entrance and continued to lick his crotch.

"Teon!"

The blonde-haired boy, that would normally be considered handsome, looked up and smiled brightly at the southern belle.

"Bad boy! Bad!" Rogue chided the animal-type mutant while wagging a finger at him. "I'm gonna tell Hope!"

Hearing the word "Hope," the animal mutant actually looked contrite.

"Don't give me that puppy dog look, mistah! " Rogue was not having any of it. However, before that she turned back to Saffron. "Enjoy, dinners at six. Just follow these boys. Tah tah."

Saffron watched as she walked away, mumbling about dog-type mutants.

"So, the names Gabriel, I'm from Mexico. This here is Kenji, Japan obviously," the handsome Mexican teen introduced himself and his companion in a very friendly manner before pointing to the last boy.

"That there is Teon. He's…. special."

The blond stocky boy had gone back to licking his crotch through his pants in full view of everyone once Rogue left.

"I can see that..." Saffron trailed off before he extended a hand to the boy. "I'm Saffron Saotome-Grey, pleased to meet you."

"So what can you do?" Gabriel smiled at the white-haired pony tailed boy. "I can sorta slow down time..."

Saffron wondered why the Mexican teen trailed off like that with a frown on his face, but decided to answer the boy since it was only fair.

"I can generate fire and use it offensively."

"Hmmph, another Idie," the Japanese man, Kenji, sneered. Saffron frowned at the man's attitude.

"Idie is an elemental user, with fire being her primary so far," Gabriel explained before he turned to his friend. "Hey, come on Ken. If you use that tone people will think you're a prick. Kenji here is not what you call a -err, people person. Can't really blame him after what happened."

Saffron looked at how hideously scarred the man was, and decided that it probably had something to do with his mutation. He then turned to the final member of the group, noticing that Gabriel looked a bit relieved when Saffron did not take offense.

"Ah, Teon here, well, he's more beast than man. But because of that he can tell if someone is good or not," Gabriel explained the final member of their group's powers, who had stopped licking his crotch and went over to sniff at Saffron's hand. Whatever the blond boy found was apparently satisfactory, as he rushed out of the room a moment later.

"Oh shit! I forgot to leash him!" Gabriel looked panicked. "The Cuckoos said if he tried to hump their legs again, they'd neuter him!"

Saffron watched as the latino boy ran out the door, frazzled. He decided to follow to see if the dog-mutant would be gutsy enough to do it. Sure enough, after a minute the two found the feral boy.

"HOPE SUMMERS! CONTROL YOUR PET OR IT DIES!"

A bit too late, unfortunately, as three very irate blonde teens in short skirts that did a very good job of showing off their legs were glaring at the animal-mutant with their hands on their hips. Saffron recognized that stance. It meant someone was about to get destroyed.

"Hey~~~ladies, he didn't mean it! I mean, if you think about it logically, it's a compliment that he finds you girls so attractive that he can't help but look for you three every single chance he can when he gets the urge!" Gabriel talked fast and put himself in front of his friend.

"What say we just forgive and forget, eh?"

The three Cuckoos gave matching death glares to the boy, only to stop a moment later when they saw the winged teen behind him. The middle one was the first to react.

"BRAT?!" Gabriel, seeing the hot triplets were distracted, decided to sneak off with Teon.

"Nice to see you too, Homewrecker," Saffron replied with a grin as he approached the three girls who, oddly enough, only seemed to have aged a bit.

"Irma, remind me later to kill Tendo for teaching Saffron that word," Celeste Cuckoo told her sister, who was already hugging the boy. A moment later Phoebe joined in, then finally Celeste.

"It's been awhile, huh?" Saffron smiled warmly at his three caretakers from when he was younger. He viewed them, in part, as something akin to young aunts.

"What the hell happened to you?" Celeste looked the boy over from head to toe. "You kind of look like from when… well, when you went crazy."

Saffron blushed at the reminder. He couldn't believe he had tried to kill his father. TWICE! He was surely a bad son.

"Ah, don't worry about it," Celeste patted the boy on the shoulder. He was taller than her now. "Anyone that ever liked that doofus also wanted to kill him at one time or another."

"Not everyone, sister dear," Phoebe spoke up and gave a cheeky grin to Celeste. "We liked him because he annoyed you. Never hated him or wanted to kill him. That was ALL you."

"Shut up!" Celeste spat back and pointed a finger in her sister's face. "If you had backed me up back then I would have had my revenge! Now-… now..."

The reminder of his deceased father tainted the joy of the reunion with a bit by sadness. Saffron looked down and saw the hurt expressions on the Cuckoo's faces. He was touched that his father's death still affected them.

"Is Auntie Myst here too?" Saffron decided to broach a more comfortable subject. Old acquaintances.

"Oh, she's out on a mission. And before you ask, your 'cool uncle' Evan is with her," Celeste told the winged boy. Anything else they wanted to discuss was interrupted when a redhead jumped in between him and the Cuckoos. She had her back turned to him, but the way she had her hands on her hips told him she was not very happy. The girl immediately launched into the blonde triplets.

"Where's Teon?! What did you girls do to him? So help me if you -"

"Errr," Saffron placed his hands on the girl's shoulder before she could attack his friends anymore.

"Gabriel helped him esc-"

The girl, upon feeling Saffron's hand on her shoulder, turned to glare at the owner of the offending appendage, only to lose focus when she saw his golden-red irises.

Saffron's felt something heat his body up as he stared into the green eyes of the redhead. Her coloration reminded him so much of his mother's. That's when he saw the phoenix brand in the girl's eyes, a brand that reflected in his own eyes as well. He knew nothing else after that as he blacked out.

+++ Infirmary +++

Saffron woke up to the sound of machines beeping. Having lived with the Richards, he could tell immediately that it was medical equipment.

"Unnnn~~"

"He's awake," a voice Saffron did not recognize announced.

Saffron opened his eyes and slowly sat up, only to see Scott Summers there with Emma Frost in front of him.

"Tell us what happened Saffron, tell us _everything,_ " The leader of the X-Men demanded right away. The man's stance showed how aggressive he was, which surprised Saffron compared to how welcoming he was earlier.

"What happened between you and Hope?"

"Hope?" Saffron looked confused. "Who's Hope?"

Cyclops and Emma looked at each other and slowly moved out of his view to reveal a redheaded girl sitting on the edge of another medical bed directly across from him. The moment she saw him, however, her face morphed into a glower as if he had offended her somehow.

"Uh..." Saffron looked away from the girl and back to the two adults. "She's Hope?"

"You… don't feel anything?" Emma scrutinized the boy's every expression.

"Am I supposed to?" Saffron asked, a bit perplexed as to why Cyclops kept on looking from him and the redhead gi- oh, he supposed it was _Hope_ now. He gave her a weak wave, only to see her still glaring at him.

"I'll be blunt; do you see Hope as a mother figure?" Emma Frost cut to the chase as she folded her arms. All of her telepathic probes showed the boy was confused and nothing else.

"M-Mother figure?! What?!" Saffron jumped off the table and looked at the two adults as if they were crazy.

"Why would I do that?!"

"You did it with Jean," Cyclops remembered when the winged mutant first hatched all those years ago.

"Then again with Ranma. The Cuckoo's saw a phoenix shape outlined between the two of you before it flared out and you two were rendered unconscious."

"Okay?" Saffron answered uncertainly under their stares. "Umm... No, I do not view her as my mother, or with any family relation. She's just a girl."

"And you don't have any feelings of protectiveness or have any desire to…" Cyclop's mouth formed into an expression of distaste. " _Mate_ with the girl?"

"Errr..." Saffron thought back to everything his Uncle Johnny taught him. "Shouldn't I at least buy her dinner first?"

"NO way in HELL you are touching me, Phoenix boy!" Hope glared at Saffron as if he had wronged her somehow. The girl then folded her arms and turned her nose up at him. He was generally mild mannered. But when he was angered, and it had happened before, well, he could give as good as he got. And this girl had been giving him nothing but flack since he woke up!

"Well, I don't like haughty girls like you anyway, you-you-!" Saffron grasped at possible insults he could throw at the girl, but the Richard matriarch household was a tightly-run ship. Even his mother had policed her language around him. So he drew upon his father's stories of his engagement with Auntie Akane.

"-Uncute tomboy!"

The redhead slowly turned her head and gave him the frostiest glare he had seen, one that would have made Ms. Frost proud.

"What did you call me, _little-wing_ boy?"

Saffron opened his mouth in shock and looked at his wings. He was a bit sensitive about them. Sure, they hadn't grown out all the way yet, but Aunt Sue said he was still young! They could grow magnificently in the next year or so!

"Oh yeah, w-what would a flat chested TOMBOY like you know anyway!" Saffron roared at the girl. Insult his wings, would she? Well, he could also see something she was lacking in, something he learned girls were sensitive about from his father.

Hope jumped off the medical bed she was sitting on. Her red face showed just how livid she had become.

"You! You.. _YOU_!"

"Me- me-me _what_?" Saffron taunted and was amazed at how much fun it was to really make your opponent flustered. His dad was right all along!

"YOU-" Hope suddenly leveled a hand at Saffron, red fire pulling into her hands. "-LOUDMOUTH-"

"Emma, stop her!" Cyclops ordered his lover before he turned to the winged-mutant boy. "Saffron stop provoking Hope!"

"-JERKKKK!" Hope fired a powerful stream of condensed fire at Saffron, who was not expecting a girl who he only met for like a minute to use his own attacks against him.

Sure, Saffron was immune to fire, but that was normal fire started by normal people. His own fire, however, was more potent and had a special property to it that was always referred to as magic by his tribesmen. Whatever it was, it smashed into him and knocked him off the bed, through the infirmary and into the wall, knocking him out cold again.

"Now _that_ ," Emma gave Hope a look of approval. "He had coming."

" _Emma_!"

+++ Later +++

Saffron grumbled as he followed a little minibot guide, a little mouse looking drone, back to his dorm room. Scott and Ms. Frost had been the only ones there when he woke up from the girl's cheap shot. They had not chided him, but just wanted to make sure he felt nothing for the girl. Did annoyance count?

"Stupid tomboy," Saffron grumbled as he started to see familiar hallways. He was about to enter the room when he saw a familiar redhead exit.

"You!"

Hope turned and saw the boy she had attacked earlier. " _You_!"

"Errr, you two met then?" Gabriel came in between the two. "That's good! This is Hope, Saffron, she's the mutant Messiah and the one who helped me stabilize my powers!"

Saffron was shocked while the redhead just looked irate.

"Gabe!" Hope glared at her friend; he knew she hated being called the Messiah. She then turned back to the winged boy and watched out for any counter attack he might launch to pay her back. Her dad, Nathan Summers, had taught her to never let her guard down.

"You want to go again? We all remember what happened the last time around."

Saffron watched her raise her flaming fists- correction, HIS flaming fists- those were his moves! His fire! His fists ignited on his own to counter her, ready to throw down with the girl. He didn't care what his dad taught him about not hitting girls. His mother and Aunt Sue said girls wanted to be treated as equals. Well, he was willing to go all equal-opportunist on her a-behind!

However, before the two could to get into it, even with Gabriel and Teon putting themselves between the two, the flames of both teenagers were snuffed out by a condense gust of wind.

"What the?" The two teens echoed at the same time.

"No fighting in the hallway, children." A gentle voice spoke up. Hope immediately became contrite and looked away while Saffron stared at the new arrival.

"Auntie Akane?!" the winged teen asked in shock. Kiima still looked like Akane's teenage form, but the woman before definitely him did not.

"Hi, Saffy-chan," Akane Tendo, full-time X-Men, smiled gently at the little boy she used to know. Well, correction, he was no longer a little boy.

"Ms. Akane, you're this jerk's aunt?" Hope face looked incredulous as Akane sighed and brushed her long hair over her shoulders. She had matured in the intervening years, both in terms of figure and temperament.

"Well, not by blood," Akane corrected, but turned to examine the grown-up boy before her. Him being an adult now meant some crazy Nerima or X-Men stuff must have happened to him. Perhaps those mushrooms again. Either way, it wasn't particularly surprising. After all, she remembered the battle for the infant Hope happening a year ago, only to have her show up as a fifteen year-old a month back.

What did surprise Akane, however, was that she could not see any traces of the cruel man who had tried to kill her and Ranma years ago. The boy's eyes were soft and kind as he looked at her. Only yo be ruined as it turned to anger when he looked to Hope, but it was not the savage type of anger. It was normal.

"You grew up well, Saffron."

"If he's not blood-related to you, then why does he call you his Aunt?" Hope asked, genuinely curious. Out of all the people here at Utopia, who mostly put her on a pedestal, only Ms. Akane treated her like a normal girl. She did not have any expectations and even taught her how to cook.

"I was once engaged to his father," Akane explained, to which Hope's expression became horrified.

"Wait, _you're_ the son of Ranma Saotome?!" Hope pointed at the winged teen in disbelief. "B-but Cyclops called you a _Grey_!"

"Saffron SAOTOME-Grey," Saffron puffed up his chest in pride at his father's name.

"Noooo!" Hope wailed as she clapped her hands to her cheeks in horror. "Why did _you_ have to be his son?!"

"What's wrong with me being his son?!" Saffron went from proud to offended within a second.

"Ranma Saotome is brave, heroic, _handsome_ , the best fighter in the world, loved by all and you're…" Hope struggled to find an appropriate word before she waved her hand dismissively at Saffron. "Well, _you_."

Akane suddenly sweated a bit. Perhaps she shouldn't have only told Hope about Ranma's good points. But the girl was feeling so lost after Nathan's death, and so alone. She responded well to the adventures of a little boy who was also torn away from his mother, raised by a father-figure to be the best fighter in the world. Who, at Hope's age, fought against martial arts masters and demons, suffered under magical curses, who was thrown into the world of the X-Men, who survived it, who earned their respect through sheer will. A boy who went on to actually SAVE the world by the accounts of all present that day. A boy who was actually inducted into the X-Men posthumously and made an honorary Avenger, also posthumously.

Akane's fond memories of the pigtailed boy made a very big impression on Hope. She even dared to say the girl had a bit of hero worship and a teenage girl crush on Akane's deceased ex-fiancee. Still, the way Saffron looked wasn't too good, as his eyes were glowing red now.

"You, you-!" Saffron pointed at the girl before he recognized the look on the girl's face.

"Well, you'd have _never_ interested my father. What with your gorilla-like temperament and boyish body! He only had eyes for real developed women like my mother, the Stepford Cuckoos or even Auntie Akane here!"

"Hey!" Akane did not know whether to take Saffron's comment as a compliment or insult. The boy had his head tilted back while laughing mockingly at the girl.

Hope however, let out a screech of rage as a flaming fist made its way over to a smug looking Saffron who didn't even see it coming. Gabriel had already decided he did not want ANY of that as he dived out of the way. However, before the fist could hit the unaware teen, Akane intercepted it with her hands, dispersing the fire in the girl's punch.

"Hope! I taught you better than this!" Akane chided the girl harshly, before she turned to Saffron and gave him a glare. The boy genuinely quailed under her gaze.

"And you, it appears you have a bit _too_ much of your father in you. And I don't mean the good parts."

Saffron looked stricken, he did not want to drag his father's name through the mud and looked apologetically at the woman.

"Don't like at me like that, apologize to Hope," Akane ordered the boy. "Let bygones be bygones."

Saffron looked chagrined, but decided his father's reputation meant more than his pride. "I- I'm sorry for calling you all those name in the infirmary..."

Akane nodded and then turned to the smug-looking Hope. "And you, apologize to him for hitting him. Use your words, not fists, when it comes to your fellow classmates, Hope."

Hope opened her mouth to protest, but Akane quickly cut her off.

"I know what your dad taught you, but you are among friends now. People who care about you. Your go-to solution for everything should not be violence."

"It _shouldn't_?" Hope asked, additionally surprised when she heard the boy she just had a falling out with echo her question at the same time.

"No!" Akane felt a twitch in her eyes. "Fighting should always be your last resort!"

"But… Dad always said fighting solved all of the problems he ever encountered. Was that not true?" Saffron looked up at the woman who knew his dad better than most.

Akane opened her mouth to deny it, but then thought it through.

 _'Let's see, there was Kuno...oh. Ryoga? Nope, always kicking him around. Hmmm, even our simple ice-skating date ended up resolved by him fighting with Mikado. Copy Cat Ken was beaten, his engagement to Kaori Daikoku was resolved by him fighting her in an Anything Goes take-out battle… didn't he talk it out with Tsubasa- No, wait. He beat the cross-dresser too...'_

Saffron and Hope waited patiently when the woman fell oddly silent as she cupped her chin thoughtfully. The two shared a perplexed look before they turned back to the woman.

 _'Ryu Kumon, was beaten badly, Herb, Saffron, Taro, Rouge, even the issue of his reputation at the Xavier school his first week was repaired by beating Saffron within an inch of his life from what she heard... Huh.'_

Akane finally came back from her thoughts and saw two teen faces really close to her and jumped back a bit in surprise. She saw the two teens look at her expectantly, but what could she say?

 _'Damn it, Ranma! You really DID solved everything with violence! You stupid dead BAKA!'_

"Ms. Akane/Auntie?" the two spoke up at the same time in concern for the woman.

"Ahem," Akane coughed into a balled-up fist and looked at the two. "Your father's life was different, okay? Your life is not like his, so please, _consider_ using violence ONLY as a last resort."

"I knew it," Hope smirked as she looked smug, then realized it was about Saffron's father. Well… since the boy was his son, maybe he wasn't all that bad. She tentatively stuck her hand out.

"Truce?"

Saffron looked at the hand and smiled. His father always said real men don't hold grudges, and if they do they turned into small lying black pigs. At the time Saffron thought his father had been oddly specific…but still!

"Truce."

He then recalled what his father taught him about pleasing girls so they wouldn't stay mad at you.

"Ahem," Saffron cleared his throat and shuffled his feet a bit shyly before looking away from the girl.

"Ah-I'm sorry for calling you those names. I… know they aren't true. You're actually very... cute...pretty really."

Hope suddenly sported a deep blush. "Ah, well, I, I didn't mean-"

"Stop! Just stop!" Akane waved her arms in a panic between the two before it could continue. "Hope, you need to get to class. Teon can get a bath later."

"Uh- right, Ms. Akane." Hope turned and walked away with a spring in her step.

' _Shit!_ '

Akane then turned to look at Saffron. "You, mister, will learn everything in the student handbook about befitting conduct."

Saffron nodded as he walked into his dorm room, wings flapping a bit happily while Akane could only shake her head. She was pretty certain there was no Saotome blood in Saffron, yet he was pulling the same tricks her deceased ex-fiancee had once upon a time. If he kept this up, the girls of Utopia would be at each others' throats by the end of the week! The entire place could turn into a warzone!

" _Ranma no baka_!' Akane thought unkindly. Even in death, he was still giving her headaches.

*** Nowhere ***

In a white, blank room as far stretching as far as the eye could see in any direction, a figure in deep slumber suddenly sneezed, scratched his side and then rolled over to a more comfortable position.

TBC...

AN:

Alternate Title for this is called AvX: Prologue. THATS RIGHT! AvX or better known as Avengers vs X-Men. So the opening Theme for next chapter that fit is-

(Mai Otome Op 2: Crystal Energy) The short version.

Because I couldn't say it in House of M , First of all thanks to the people that stuck with me. Through thick and thin, I knew that I had a lot of flack and flame for House of M event and keeping it close to the chest. I enjoyed the flames, COME AT ME BRO! However, I was faced with one very major problem.

House of M tone, when I wrote it, I WANTED it to be bittersweet like that. However, because of that, _Tonally_ , it did not fit at the end of Homo Superior OR In front of ALL New Homo Superior. It had to stand alone by itself for it to be taken on it's own merits and flaw. AND BOY you guys were NOT happy about it. I will say this, a lot of people guessed right on exactly what happened, I gotten reviews and P.M that said Ranma regressed. However, the first part with the grave scene show that he was still the same as ever. Its only when House of M happened when he was split that he or rather SHE became more ... aggressive.

Of course, One of the major point I would like to point out is, while Ranma is now Okay with his girl half, at that current stage in his life, there was no way in hell he'd would want to be stuck as a female full time. If Wanada death could put him back, he'd do that, He'd fought Herb for less. This was his man hood was on the line and simply put he doesn't know Wanda like he knew Akane. In Nihao my Concubine, had it been anyone else, Ranma might have let them jump into the water together. I would say there is a strong chance.

It was also my intention to let Ranma-chan be in on that event level adventure. And it was pretty much Ranma induction into the Marvel universe. HIs name is out there now as is his deed.

I was also told to take a break, but you guys don't realized a lot of the chapter and pretty much all of AvX has already been written at the exact same time as Apoc SinWar. So its one continuous flow. I am literally just waiting for editorial to come back, scrub it clean a bit more and then post it. I've been raiding in Wow and watching anime/reading manga.

Again, feel free to disregard House of M, and this if you like Homo Superior. The world has changed, and I wanted to play in that world to be honest. If someone would like to write a side story that branch out from Homo Superior themselves, feel free!

However, with this new Seven parter, and yes, it is about the length of Apoc-Sin War, House of M cannot be disregard.

Lordy, I kept it under wraps for so long, feels good now! You see there was two phase to this, Ranma introduction to the marvel universe through the X-Men (Homo Superior) and the repercussion of his actions. What we see now. There is no phase three. As for what is All New Homo Superior Endgame, those that read the comics will know, those that don't? Enjoy the ride :D

Once again, thank you for all the reviews ,love, even flames on House of M, but, it's go time now!

As always C+C welcome, reviews Appreciated!


	2. Avengers vs X-Men: Part One

Ranma belongs to Rumiko Sensei

X-Men belongs to Marvel Studios

Homo Superior

 **Special Thanks to Riniko and Mingyu for editing this! You guys work hard for this!**

Avengers vs X-Men: Part One

*** Secret Location, New York ***

Red.

Her vision was colored with liquid-red.

She could feel the wet warmth of it on her face. She could feel the bits of destroyed organs on her skin, the blood of it seeping through her clothing. It was but a moment, but she could remember with perfect clarity as her other half, her twin brother, Pietro Maximoff, was brutally murdered in front of her. He was there in front of her one moment, whole, and the next, split in two. In that single moment of eternity she saw his severed half fall, not forward or backwards, but to the sides. The contents spill messily onto the ground, the blood pooling by where she was pushed.

Horror gripped her as she took in the boy who had done this, a mere teen! He was wearing a red sleeveless shirt and loose black pants. The design was oriental in origin; he was what could be considered handsome, with his unruly hair accented by a black pigtail. His eyes, however, were glaring at her, not in anger but in determination. As if SHE was an animal that needed to be put out its misery, an animal that would have been slaughtered like her brother had he not protected her.

While the boy might not have been angry with her, she was angry with him. How dare he kill her brother?! In that moment of clarity, she knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to tear the boy in front of her apart! She wanted to rip him into pieces and scatter him to the winds!

And so with two words-

" _ **BE GONE!**_ "

\- she did. She watched as he was shredded, unraveled like ribbons in front of her. His face was shocked, but defiant as he glared at her one final time with those piercing blue eyes and ceased to exist.

With his death, her anger cooled and she resurrected her brother, who looked traumatized from the ordeal. But she was not done, her father was now angry at her brother for protecting her. She realized then that her father never held any love for them. It had always been about mutants for him. Always mutants.

It was not with anger that she did what she did next. Instead, it was with acute sadness and forlorn bitterness as she could feel her tears sliding down her face. She knew she should have stopped, but she was so tired of it all, and she wanted to hurt him in the most painful way possible. So she took away the one thing he loved the most, cherished beyond anything else.

" _ **No more mutants.**_ "

And just like that, an entire species was brought to extinction. However, the most important thing of all was that, for once in her life, she had hurt him like he had always hurt her.

Wanda Maximoff, recent redeemed Avenger, mother to two Young Avengers and butcherer of an entire species, woke up screaming in horror. A loud boom let her know that Pietro was in the room with her, trying to calm her down as he hugged her and stroked her hair softly. Her nightclothes were covered in sweat, and a moment later she realized she was hyperventilating.

"Shhhh, Wanda, it's okay, it's okay, it's just a nightmare, just another nightmare, you're okay now," Pietro Maximoff, aka Quicksilver, kept on stroking her head while hugging her tight to make sure she was okay.

Wanda slowly relaxed as she realized everything was real again. She didn't even realize she was gripping Pietro's arms until she had let go of it. She looked up at her brother, who reminded her so much of her father at times with the same hair color, but his face was gentle and understanding.

"Feeling better? Want me to get you anything?"

Wanda looked at her arms and noticed they were covered in sweat too. She should be angry at the way Pietro was talking to her as if they were children again, but realized he was just being supportive.

"No, it's okay… I just… _remembered_ more... things."

"It wasn't your fault," Pietro hugged her again. "Doom said it himself, it was all him. He manipulated you into doing everything."

Wanda knew her brother knew better. Dr. Doom had nothing to do with it. In fact, the only reason why he said what he did was because he loved her. In a way, it showed how much he cared for her by trying to take the blame for all of her transgressions.

"Pietro..." Wanda mumbled softly in her brother's arms. "Will I ever be able to redeem myself? Can I?"

Pietro broke the hug and made sure she made eye contact with him. "Whatever you did, whatever happened, is already forgiven by your true family, the Avengers. You need only come back and see how they welcome you."

"Not Vision..." Wanda muttered sadly. The android that was her husband had told her point blank that she was no longer welcome at the Avengers Mansion. It did not matter that her former teammates tried to take a stand for her, she did not want to make Vision uncomfortable.

"He will, trust me," Pietro assured his sister. "Just give it time; everyone else is waiting for your return. Heck, Tony promised he'd throw the best welcome back party ever! And you know, I intend to see if he actually does!"

Wanda laughed lightly at her brother's attempt to break the atmosphere of depression. Since her return and redemption by her two children, who turned out to never have died at all, she had been going on solo adventures to do good deeds, ANY good deeds.

As she was enjoying the comforting feeling of being in her brother arms, a sudden beeping noise made itself known. Wanda knew that sound well, it was an Avengers communication device. Pietro looked at her and put a finger to his lips for her to remain silent.

"Quicksilver here," Pietro answered into the A-shaped object.

"Pietro, we need you at Avengers Tower, this is a Code: White," Steve Rogers', aka Captain America, tone sounded urgent. The last time they had a Code White was when the old Avengers were destroyed by Wanda.

"Bring Wanda too, we need everyone, and I mean _everyone_ , for this."

Wanda shared a look with Pietro before her brother asked the question on their minds.

"What's going on?"

"The Phoenix is on a direct course for Earth." Captain America answered; his tone let them know how serious the matter had become.

"Worse, the X-Men have known about it the entire time, and never bothered to inform us."

Pietro, who had somewhat kept abreast of what happened with the X-Men, realized who Captain America was talking about.

"They will fight if you try to take Hope," Pietro warned. There was a moment of silence on the other end before it came back to life.

"Let's pray it doesn't come to that."

*** Utopia- Training Hall ***

Saffron dodged another punch thrown by Hope before he flew upward and shot his feathers at her, each quill possessing enough force to punch through exposed skin. Unlike him, who was wearing his father-inspired outfit, Hope was simply wearing a sports bra and workout shorts.

"Oh, that is bullshit!" Hope shouted at the winged mutant as she rolled away frantically and then lobbed a huge fireball at him.

Saffron was not expecting that. Sure, maybe a thin stream of fire or something. But not only was it five times bigger than him, it was fast too!

"Oh crap-!"

 **BOOOOM**!

The force of the fireball exploded and sent Saffron flying, but not too far as his trip was stopped by the ceiling. He hit it with the force of a rocket. Had it been made of regular metal he might have punched through it, but the training hall was made specifically to soak up any and all damage.

"Take this!" Hope once more launched another large ball of fire at Saffron, dazing him as the winged boy fell to the ground.

 **THUNK**!

"Saffron!" Hope's concerned voice came through as she was by his side in an instant. She might have overdone it…

"I wasn't thinking..."

"It's fine..." Saffron waved off her apology as he gingerly tried to get up.

Hope's fire stung pretty badly. He had thought she simply mimicked mutants abilities, but he was wrong. She was a reflection of the entire mutant race; every single power was cataloged in her very being. She just needed to be next to them to activate it. However, she was not limited to what she borrowed. She had their powers, all of them, in full.

"Are you able to still fight, Saffron? That looked like quite the hit..." Teacher Assistant Akane Tendo, aka Elements, asked, looking at the boy.

Akane was surprised by Saffron's combat proficiency in the months since he got here. Or rather, lack theroff. The Saffron in front of her was completely different from the one that Ranma faced at Jusendo. Gone were the ferocious infernos that she knew he could summon forth, instead he controlled balls of fire, or just covered himself with fire. The feather darts were new, probably learned from Kiima. In terms of hand-to-hand combat he was outclassed by Ryoga and most of the other fighters. Heck, even she could beat him. And most surprising of all was his strength, it was not even close to her level!

What the hell was Kiima teaching the boy?

"Did you have to take it so far, Hope?" Pixie came over, the hot pink-haired girl reflected her namesake, as she looked just like a pixie from a child's fairy tale. She was already by the winged teen side, praising him while also checking on his well-being.

Akane put a hand over her face as the two girls glared at each other. Despite what Hope said regarding Saffron, Akane could tell the redhead was interested in the boy. Pixie, however, was more openly affectionate. Now seeing it from an outsider's point of view, she wondered if it was always so cringe-inducing between her and Ranma?

"Girls, give him some space and let him walk it off."

Saffron shot Akane a grateful look as he got up. Hope's attack had burned his wings, but he could already feel them starting to recover. It was slow, but at least the feeling was coming back.

"Thanks, Megan," Saffron smiled at the nice pink-haired girl and heard Hope give a loud "Hmph," as if displeased.

Pixie shuffled a bit on her feet and blushed. Truthfully, she was annoyed with Hope. She had already stepped back from Gabriel, yet Hope was after Saffron from day one of his arrival. That was not cool! The girl even had the audacity to tell her that she could have Gabriel. Like she gets to decide who can end up with who? Fat chance! There are some battles a girl _must_ fight!

"Good job, guys!" Gabriel intervened before the girls' fight could escalate. He could not help but feel a bit annoyed that at one time he was pursued by both girls. However, the moment they discovered they both had intentions toward him, the two girls offered him to each other as if he could be passed along like that. However, when it came to Saffron, they were fighting over him. It was a cold war, to be sure, but the whole school knew.

Heck, Gabriel knew Myst was already running a betting pool. The water-based mutant even had shipping names for them. _Fluttershy_ for Saffron and Pixie, since the two were awkward around each other, but looked cute doing so. As for Hope and Saffron, for some odd reason she called their ship _Fyro_. He didn't get it, but some of the older mutants appeared to understand. The odds were actually pretty even, as Pixie and Saffron did talk a lot and she was a lot more girly. Whereas Hope, being raised in a dystopian future, lacked the social charm of girls from this era. She was rough, almost like a guy, and that was one of the reasons why he was attracted to her.

However, that said, the strongest point that actually gave her an even chance against Pixie was that her last name was Summers and Saffron's was Grey. Grey's and Summers' usually end up together.

"Alright, enough is enough. He can help himself," Akane appreciated Gabriel's gesture, but she knew how to handle this, having been through the same kind of thing before.

"Saffron, you reacted too slow again. Every time you do an attack you still freeze up to see if it actually affects your opponent. Simply put, you are NOT at that level yet. Just continue until WE tell you to stop."

Saffron hung his head. "Understood..."

"And as for you," Akane looked at the redheaded girl, who looked back defensively. "You could have at least tried to last a bit longer before using Saffron's powers against him. He needed the experience. It does you and your sparring partner a disservice if you end the fight before either of you can learn from it. Remember, Cyclops wants you to learn how to fight without using your powers."

"Yes Ms. Akane..." Hope matched Saffron's actions.

Satisfied the two understood, Akane was about to call the next set of students up when she heard Teon growl while looking out the window. Hope also looked at the boy she was responsible for, and gasped at what she saw. Akane appeared likewise stunned.

"Is- Is that a S.H.I.E.L.D Heilcarrier?" Gabriel asked, pressing his face against the window for a closer look. A moment later, a telepathic announcement echoed through the entire complex.

' _X-Men, this is your leader Cyclops. The day we feared might come is here. The Avengers have learned about Hope's existence. However, they will not get her, that I promise. All X-Men members are to join me in greeting our 'guests.' To the Assistant Teachers, protect our students and make sure no harm comes to them. We stand together as one_!'

"Holee shit!" Teon, in a rare moment of clarity, was no longer running on his animal instincts, but instead reverted back to his normal self.

"You said it. Hope, check-" Gabriel turned around to ask what their Messiah thought of the situation, only to find she was gone.

"Damn that girl!" Akane growled as she realized this was what Ranma must have felt like when she didn't listen to him during a dangerous situation. That's when she realized the girl wasn't the only one missing.

"Damn that boy!"

*** Outside of Utopia ***

The welcoming committee for the Avengers consisted of Emma Frost, Namor the Submariner, Colossus and Magneto. They were led by Cyclops, leader of the X-Men. Some might even say he was the leader of the remaining mutant race.

"Looks like they are trying to be respectful, at least," Magneto, one time bitter enemy of the X-Men and now their greatest ally, spoke up. They looked at the Helicarrier parked quite a ways away from Utopia, even as Captain America waited by himself in the water, not crossing over onto their land.

"We'll see," Cyclops replied to his strange mentor. Ironic that, but Professor X and Magneto had reconciled after M-Day. It just seemed petty to be fighting when there were so few mutants left. He looked to the others and felt the weight of leadership as never before. Whatever happened next would affect their entire race.

"Oh good lord," Emma sounded exasperated as she turned around to see two teens approach. "Do you have a good reason for being here, children?"

Cyclops snapped his eyes to the redhead girl, their Messiah, their hope running up to them. He frowned as he saw Jean's adopted son behind her.

"Well, do you?" he asked tersely.

"If this is about me, I deserve to be here," Hope told the White Queen and looked at Cyclops defiantly.

The blonde beauty just shook her head and looked to the winged teen standing behind the girl. "And what's your excuse?"

"Um, I – didn't think Hope should be left alone, just in case..." Saffron shuffled his feet a bit. He was just being a good teammate.

"Well, they're here now Scott. What do you want to do?" Emma asked her lover.

Hope and Saffron could feel the stern leader's eyes boring into them before he turned around. "Stay there and be quiet."

With that, the leader of Utopia walked over to meet the current leader of the Avengers.

"Captain, what brings you here?"

"Cyclops," Captain America's causal stance was relaxed to show he came here in peace. "We need to take Hope into protective custody."

"Because…?" Cyclops asked in a genuinely curious voice.

"The Phoenix Force is coming to Earth, and all of our experts feel it is coming for her," Captain America replied as he looked to the mutant leader for a response. However, Cyclops' body language suggested he was not taking him seriously.

"Your experts? You mean Wolverine?" Cyclops inwardly seethed at his onetime close friend. Bad enough his former trusted teammate, friend, and rival in love split the X-Men apart, but he went and betrayed them to non-mutants as well?

' _Scott, he's not leaving without her._ ' Emma informed him. Unlike other telepaths, she had no qualms about reading anybody's mind. She looked at the two teens; Hope appeared worried, while Saffron was standing protectively near the girl. She had to wonder, once again, if there was a Phoenix connection with him. All of their tests had revealed nothing conclusive.

' _It's NOT going to happen_.' Cyclops thought back to his lover as he looked at the famed Avenger.

"She's a mutant. This is a mutant problem. We'll handle it."

"This isn't a mutant vs human problem. If she is the Phoenix's vessel… _we_ need to take care of this," Captain America made sure to focus on Cyclops to let him know the severity of the situation.

"One could argue that the Phoenix coming here might be mutant-kind's last, best hope," Cyclops informed the Avenger, who appeared confused.

"You are too close to the situation, Summers. Logan told me you'd have issue with me coming here. I was hoping you and I could come to an understanding, man to man, leader to leader. I need you to _trust_ me," the Captain spoke without aggression. He wanted to work together with Scott Summers and the X-men, it was an olive branch. However, judging by Cyclops' expression, his jaw twisting in anger, Steve Rogers realized this might not end well.

" _I'm_ too close to it? _You_ are too far away from it, as you have _always_ been. You know, it occurs to me, seeing you standing here, just where exactly where you when mutant-kind needed help? In fact, the only time you ever come talk to us is when YOU need help. Isn't that right?" Cyclops sneered, but the Avenger wasn't phased at all.

"You want to have this discussion? Fine, but it'll have to wait for another day." Captain America brushed Scott's wrongful accusation away. They could hash it out all they wanted later.

"Right now, there is a destructive force headed towards Earth, and we have to figure out a way to stop it. Hope is the key to all of that."

Cyclops waited for the Captain to finish saying his piece before he looked the man directly in his eyes.

"Respectfully. Get the _hell_ off my island."

"D-Did he just say that?" Hope asked, wide-eyed. Suddenly, she felt her stomach doing flips. She had teamed up with the Avengers before, even helped out in the most recent crisis. Where they really about to start a battle over her?

"The gauntlet has been thrown; he will force Summers' hand now." Namor, the prince of the sea, grinned in anticipation of the battle to come.

"Are those drones?" Saffron asked, having caught sight of a bunch of little flying objects with cameras on them.

"They're from the news media," Magneto answered without taking his eyes away from where Cyclops and Captain America were standing off.

"How did they know to come here?" Saffron looked a bit surprised at that, but Ms. Frost grinned at that.

"Because Cyclops called them before he even came out here."

Saffron had actually met the Avengers a few times when they had come by the Baxter Building. Truth be told, he though all of them were pretty cool. Not as cool as his father, but cool nonetheless. If Captain America suddenly attacked the X-Men, that would mean they were the aggressor in this conflict. Saffron saw the Captain glance toward the drones before he went back to glaring at Mr. Summers.

"You do understand-" Captain America said his next words sternly. "-I _wasn't_ asking."

"I understood-" Cyclops leveled a look at the captain. "- _completely_."

Cyclops fired his optic blast at the Avengers leader. However, Captain America must have anticipated this, as he had moved his shield in front of him at the right time and was blasted back into the sea. This was all planned out in advance; Cyclops was buying time to gather the X-Men that were scattered all over the world.

Captain America rose out of the sea looking none the worse for wear. He looked at the mutants on the beach and cursed Cyclops for what he had to do next..

"Avengers _Assemble_."

High above the island, the S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier hovered imposingly to those on the ground. On it's deck were Earth's Mightiest Heroes. The Sorcerer Supreme Dr. Strange, Spider-Woman, Red Hulk, Luke Cage, The Immortal Iron Fist, the Black Widow, the Amazing Spider-Man, Daredevil, the King of Wankanda aka the Black Panther, Mockingbird, Clint Barton aka Hawkeye, Hank Pym the Giant-Man. Most shockingly of all was Wolverine, their onetime ally. Finally, there was Iron Man, who was the point man for the entire gathering, floating at the nose of the assault group.

"Uncle Benny? Uncle Johnny? Aunt Sue?!" Saffron stared at three out of four members of the Fantastic Four. Did that mean they were siding with the Avengers?

' _Emma, get Hope out of here!_ ' Cyclops ordered the White Queen telepathically through their link.

' _But Scott!_ ' Emma looked to the clearly frightened girl as the Avengers jumped down toward them and the Helicarrier launched its fighters. While she could understand where Scott was coming from, she thought the girl should be free to make her own decision to go with the Avengers or not.

' _Hope shou-_ '

Suddenly, a very powerful psychic scream could be heard by all the Mutants present, making them stagger a bit.

' _Girls, what's wrong?_!' Emma would know her girls telepathic signature anywhere, they sounded angry and in distress. The girls had a simple job, they were to act as a communication hub using Cerebra for the X-Men. What had them so rattled?

' _She's here!_ ' Celeste's voice came through clear; anger and fear clear to all. ' _That_ _filthy_ _ **murderous**_ _bitch is here_!'

Emma's eyes widened as some of the other mutants looked rattled. ' _The Scarlet Witch is here? Are you certain?!_ '

Emma had wanted to give Hope a choice, but now that the Scarlet Witch was here...what if she said "no more Hope"?

' _Emma, protect her at all cost! Don't let them get her!_ ' Cyclops ordered his lover, seeing Emma already pulling the girl away.

"Magneto! Now!"

The master of magnetism flung Colossus through the Helicarrier, punching a hole in it even as the Avengers landed in the sea right next to Captain America.

"Avengers!" Captain America's commanding voice reverberated for all to hear. "TAKE THE BEACH!"

"X-Men!" Cyclops roared in response now that Hope was being taken away to safety. "DRIVE THEM BACK INTO THE SEA!"

The two famous groups of heroes clashed with each other, not caring that the entire world could see them.

+++ Utopia Complex +++

While Hope was being dragged away by Emma Frost, Saffron was in emotional turmoil. Why were both of his uncles here? More importantly, why did they bring his father's killer with them!? He was angry, he wanted to rage, he wanted to set the Helicarrier aflame and watch it burn the Witch and anyone on board to cinders. But he was taught better, he knew the difference between right and wrong. It was drilled into him, by his mother when he was young and put into practice by Aunt Susie.

"This is all because of me! I should be out there!" Hope protested, but the White Queen had such a grip on her!

"If I was in your shoes I'd feel the same, BUT now that the Scarlet Witch is here that changes everything!" Emma gritted her teeth. The Avengers brought a WMD to fight. Too bad the X-Men had no such advantage.

"T-The Scarlet Witch is here?!" Akane, who had been watching the battle from the common room, gasped along with the other students of Utopia and the other assistant teachers. They all knew what the crazed Avenger did, there was no surviving mutant who didn't know.

"Yes, now keep an eye on Hope and don't let her out of your sight," Emma ordered the young Japanese girl, who nodded solemnly. She then did something very uncharacteristic as she went up to the girl and gave her a comforting squeeze.

"She's not the same woman as she was back then. She's still dangerous, but she's no longer crazed. If she forces the issue though, kill her."

Akane slowly nodded as the White Queen ran out of the room just as Evan and Myst entered. Evan was in his combat armor while Myst's fists looked bigger, or maybe just denser.

"You heard right?" Evan looked out the window where the other students were gathered. In the three years since, he had grown tall and muscular. He now sported a permanent growth of bones on his back that were spiky, just like his namesake.

"Yes." Akane looked to Ranma's first friend at the school. The girl had… grown to be very beautiful, though she was still untouchable in the literal sense.

Myst's expression showed the depths of her anger. In the three years since, with the mediation exercise her deceased pigtailed friend taught her, Myst had gained greater control of her body, and thus could now be more expressive. She could even extract water from just about anywhere up to a certain point, along with being able to solidify her fists and feet to hit someone in the single ton digit range.

"Revenge."

Unfortunately her vocal mastery was still limited. Myst had focused on combat more than her daily life routine.

Hope was now a bit more subdued upon seeing the three assistant teachers talk. She wanted to go back out there, but seeing the hurt expression on Saffron she decided to go over and comfort him instead. If the Scarlet Witch was out there, that meant she might be the only one that could protect her friends and Saffron. After all, the Scarlet Witch was a mutant, which meant she fell under Hope's purview. Hopefully, she could undo anything the Scarlet Witch did.

"Oh wow, that has _got_ to hurt!" Pixie winced loudly, making the other students turn to watch the battle between Ms. Frost and Iron Man. Iron Man and Ms. Frost, in diamond form, were slugging it out as if they were in a street brawl.

"Jesus, look at what Captain America just did to Cyclops. Getting smacked in the face by that shield has gotta sting!" Gabriel sucked in a breath in sympathy.

"Colossus is kicking Red Hulk's ass! Whoo hoo!" Loa cheered on from the side.

In the background, they could see the news channel giving a live coverage of what was going on on Utopia. Their headline had "Avengers vs X-Men? Why?" in big bold prints. The kids and the teacher assistants continue to watch the battle when the door to the room opened. Immediately, Spyke, Myst and Akane, or rather Elements, got on the defensive upon seeing the entrants.

"Heya kids! Uh- nice weather we're having, right?" Spider-Man gave a cheery wave from his position on the ceiling.

"Uncle Johnny..." Saffron saw the Human Torch wave as if nothing out of the ordinary was going on outside.

"Hey, kiddo!" Johnny Storm grinned at his adopted nephew. "You know you are gonna be in trouble with Franklin when you get back, right? Valeria was so upset she went to Latveria to calm down."

"D-Doom?" Saffron gulped. He was gonna be in some deep shi-crap now.

"Figured I'd give ya a heads up." Johnny told his favorite nephew in a sympathetic tone.

"Who's _Valeria_?" Hope and Pixie turned to looked at Saffron, making the fiery mutant actually sweat.

"Glad to see teen drama is still everywhere," Wolverine interrupted with a snort before he looked at the redheaded girl. "Alright then, Hope, I'm gonna need you to to come with us."

"I'm afraid that's not happening, Wolverine," Evan, aka Spyke, stood in front of Hope and was flanked by Akane and Myst.

Wolverine claws were popped and ready, looking aggressive. "Kids, don't try to be heroes."

"Yeah, err, what Wolvie said," Spider-Man tried to lighten the tense atmosphere. "Leave that to the professionals fighting each other outside… but don't follow their example!"

"Zip it, Webs!" Wolverine stared down three of his former students. "Hope, step over to me. Now."

"Do not go over there, Hope!" Evan extended his bone armor and blocked Hope, not that the girl was moving. "Mr. Wolverine, with all due respect, get the hell out of our home."

"Dumb kids," Wolverine muttered under his breath. "Webhead, Torch, do it!"

Spyke threw a barrage of bones at the three, only to find them bouncing off of thin-air. "What the-urk!"

The young man was sent flying away suddenly. Akane head whipped back as if something had struck her hard.

"It's Aunt Susie!" Saffron warned his old friends, as they whipped their heads around to try and find the woman.

"Stay down, children," the Invisible Woman spoke up while remaining hidden.

Myst took on a defensive stance when the other entrance to the room opened and a girl made of diamond rushed in and made a beeline for the intruders. Another blonde was with her, however, as she raised her hand. In the next moment, something heavy struck the wall on the far side, just as the girl in the diamond form collided into the unsuspecting Human Torch.

"Took you girls long enough!" Evan spoke up as he got to his feet and threw his calcified spike-tipped bones at Wolverine and Spider-Man. The former just destroyed the spikes by slashing at them, the latter dodged with ease.

"Sorry, they are somehow shielded against telepathic attack," the blonde who was not in diamond form replied. "But my telekinetic attack can still sweep the room for any more pesky bugs."

Myst turned into a fog that filled the room for a second, confusing the intruders.

"Found!"

The next moment, she reformed with her arms in a sleeper hold around the neck of someone invisible.

"Normally, I wouldn't mind a hot blonde on top of me but, not today," Johnny Storm fired a powerful blast to get the diamond-formed girl off of him.

"Pixie!" Akane turned to the winged girl. "Get Hope out of here, now!"

"Rarrgh!" Wolverine growled as he punched Spyke across in stomach, withdrawing his cloaws in time, and tossed Ororo's nephew away from him.

"Hope! Let's go!" Pixie grabbed Hope and activated her teleportation power.

"Saffron!" Hope called to the winged boy, who was staring at his caretaker being choked out by Myst. But Hope's voice snapped him out of it.

On one hand, he wanted to go defend Susan Storm, on the other, that would mean hurting Myst, his father's first friend. Seeing a way out, he made to join Hope and her companions, the Five Lights. He stood next to her, giving the blonde woman an apologetic look.

"Saffron!" Susan Storm shouted as she fired an invisible projectile at the boy, knocking him away as Pixie's spell activated.

"Saffron!" The group of teen shouted as they teleported away, leaving their friend behind.

"Hope! Pixie!" Saffron tried to fly back to them, but only flew through the empty air they left behind. By that time, he saw that Spider-Man had knocked out Akane and one of the Cuckoos. The Human Torch blasted the diamond-formed Cuckoo through the window, his fire melting the glass panel with ease. Spyke was brought down after Wolverine cut off the bones protruding out of his back and decking him. Myst was contained in an invisible bubble by his adoptive mother.

"Well, that's that," Spider-Man dusted off his hands. He had to use his full strength to put the Asian girl down. Must have been losing his touch.

"We lost Hope," Wolverine growled as he glared at the remaining Utopia personnel. "Let the others know."

"Roger, roger!" Spider-Man snapped a smart salute before he pressed on something at his ear.

"Saffron."

The youth looked to where Susan Storm was gazing at him kindly. "It's been quieter around the place with you gone."

Saffron looked at his adoptive mother and asked the question that been weighing on his mind. "How could you work together with my father's murderer, Aunt Susie?"

Susan Storm looked at the boy she had raised for the past ten years and sighed. "Oh Saffron… It's complicated. Wanda was a good person before those unfortunate things happened, and she deeply regrets the part she took in your father's death."

"She killed him! Ripped him apart!" Saffron eyes flashed red as the room got a bit warmer.

"Kid!" Wolverine shouted to the winged boy. "I was THERE when it happened. Trust me, no one wanted that woman deader than me. _Nobody_. However. The woman has earned herself a second chance."

"How can you give that murderer a second chance?!" Saffron roared back as fire began to ignite in the air.

"Why can't she, when you yourself got one?" Wolverine locked eyes with the enraged teen and spoke his next words deliberately.

"Or had you forgotten that you tried to kill your dad and aunt Akane?"

Saffron eyes widened as the fire was snuffed out. It was his deepest shame. When the truth was revealed about his past, he couldn't even fathom doing what his old self had done. Yet despite it all, his father, who he specifically tried to kill twice by all accounts, did not begrudge him and instead took him under his metaphorical wing. Sure, it was reluctantly at first, but he was never cruel, nor did he ever hold what Saffron had done against him. He was just annoyed by being a made a father so early in life.

The boy felt his aunt wrap her arms around him comfortingly.

"As bad as what the Scarlet Witch done, she has saved the world more times than anyone one else could ever claim." Wolverine took off his mask, and this time his expression was understanding.

"That, more than anything, earned her the right to a second chance. However, if she ever steps out of line again, I'll end her myself."

Saffron looked at the man he had disliked as a child, and suddenly found himself not disliking him as much. "Do- do you think father would have seen it the same way?"

"Kid," Wolverine snorted in amusement as he recalled something. "Your father would've been more annoyed with himself for letting her kill him! After all, you know what he always said-"

"Ranma Saotome doesn't lose!" Wolverine and Saffron said in perfect harmony before they shared a laugh.

Susan Storm gently rubbed the shoulder of the boy that she regarded as a son in all but blood while her brother ruffled the boy's hair. She felt even better when Saffron placed his hand on top of hers and gave it a squeeze. It seemed like he had forgiven her.

"Errr, Wolverine," Spider-Man dropped from the ceiling crouched low to the ground. "The X-Men hightailed it out of here. The others don't know where."

"What?!" Wolverine asked in disbelief. "Are you telling me that not only did Cyclops abandon Utopia, they left the kids behind?!"

"It appears so. Celeste Cuckoo just surrendered herself to Iron Man when he breached Cerebra," Spider-Man informed his friend.

"Dr. Strange also picked up the other mutant kids close by. Apparently Hope Summers assaulted them and ran off."

"She did what?!" Saffron eyes widened. Why would Hope do that?!

"Shit!" Wolverine spat. "The girl was raised by Cable, she's in the winds now."

"Yeah, Tony wants to know where are we going to put the kids? Jail? They did technically resist, but at the same time, their home was invaded..." Spider-Man shifted on the spot, a bit uncomfortable.

"Like hell he will!" Wolverine spat, before he sighed.

"Funny, Cap said the same thing," Spider-Man sounded amused. "The bossman did say he had a place in mind, if you are okay with it."

Susan heard the discussion and step forward protectively in front of the winged teen. "I'll take responsibility for -"

"No, Auntie," Saffron cut off his caretaker and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Where ever the students go, I go, we're classmates after all."

"Aww, look at little Saffy growing up to be such a man!" Johnny Storm teased, to which the boy ducked his head shyly.

Susan looked at the boy's face and sighed. She gently reached over and fixed a few strands of his hair that appeared out of place.

"Fine. I always knew you would leave the nest one day. Just always thought it would be Franklin first."

"He's too much of a momma's boy to leave you first. You'll have to kick him out of house, I'm afraid." Saffron eyes glinted with humor and his uncle smirked, even as the woman in question rolled her eyes.

"So what's the place Cap has in mind?" Wolverine huffed as his old students started to wake up and heard how they were abandoned.

*** Avengers Academy- One Week Later ***

Saffron flew around the grounds of Avengers Academy once more to clear his head. In the past week, the news that the Avengers were waging war against the X-Men had made nonstop headlines. All of the news stations had coverage of fights from around the globe. The world was treating it like a spectacle, even though they had no idea why the Avengers and X-Men were battling each other. The governments of the world had told all of their police and civilians to stay out of it, especially after Tony Stark promised to pay for any damage they incurred.

Heck, there were some smaller countries that were actively pleading with the X-Men or Avengers to make their cities a battleground.

Hope, as Wolverine had put it, was in the wind. The mutant students were agitated with what they considered prison. Though Saffron realized the Academy students were trying to be accommodating, they still viewed the mutants as the "bad guys."

It was then Saffron decided he had stretched his wings enough, and made a landing. He saw Laura Kinney, X-23 there. He was surprised to see her here of all places, but she too was a friend of his father. She wasn't warm in her reception, but she wasn't cold either. Laura was just… Laura.

Thankfully, the teacher assistants were here and helped keep the more hot-headed students in line. They did honor the agreement to not cause trouble. He sighed a bit as he walked into their common room, where the news was broadcasting the latest fight. This time on the moon of all places!

"Oh crap, I think Thor's here now!" Mettle, Avenger in training, was an easy-going person that eerily looked like the Red Skull due to his red metal skin. "Wait, is it me, or does he look kind of messed up?"

Hazmat, his girlfriend, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he looked messed up, and so does Ms. Marvel, too!"

"Was it an X-Man?" Gabriel asked, but froze when the camera focused on a familiar redhead. "Guys! That's Hope!"

The other students from Utopia dropped everything they were doing and rushed over to the T.V.

"Oh my gosh! She's on the moon?!" Laurie, the first "Light" Hope had found, was flabbergasted at seeing her savior there.

"Uh, guys, what's that in the background?" Lightspeed, the pretty blonde Avenger trainee, knelt closer to the screen and squinted as if it would help her make it out better.

"Does this look like a bird to anybody else?"

That's when Saffron felt it. Saffron walked outside as if in a trance and looked to the stars. Fire ignited in his eyes as they took in the shape of a familiar Phoenix.

"Mother?"

+++The Moon +++

Hope was scared out of her mind. Her plan had been simple: knock out her friends to protect them, find a way to get to the moon so that she could confront the Phoenix by itself. Bring Wolverine with to kill her if things got out of control.

She realized things were never simple, Nathan always taught her, no plan survives contact with the enemy. She underestimated the Phoenix and overestimated herself. She had thought that she was prepared to take on the burden, but she was wrong. The raw power of the Phoenix exploded from her body and knocked away all of those that had been fighting over her.

"I- I was wrong," Hope collapsed to the ground, gasping in pain. The Phoenix was not even one with her yet, and she could feel her mind breaking as it closed in on her. Would there be anything left of herself when the Phoenix merged with her? She was scared, she was not ready. She did not want the Phoenix, she did not want to be the Mutant Messiah, she did not want ANY OF IT!

"L-Logan, you have to k-kill me. You think you can do that?"

Wolverine's flesh was being cooked from his proximity to Hope. The power she exuded was wild, chaotic, untamable. That, however, did not stop him from trying to fulfill his promise to her.

"Kid-," Wolverine claws popped out as he stalked over her. "- I'll TRY."

Wolverine loathed himself as he brought the claws down on the girl back, only to be shot away from the girl by Cyclops.

"NOOOO!"

Hope body wracked in pain again. Those stupid idiots, they were fighting again! Wolverine tried to kill Cyclops, the leader of Utopia doing the same. Avengers and X-Men all across the moon took their battle to a whole different level. They were all desperate, one group trying to save their race, the other trying to save the world.

It didn't matter. They were all too late now.

The Phoenix was here.

The dark side of the moon was illuminated as the primordial entity revealed itself to all present. Yet it ignored all of them as it searched for its chosen one.

"Cyclops, step away!" Captain America shouted as the Avengers regrouped on him.

Cyclops, however, gathered protectively around Hope. He could see the power dancing all over her body. She was in pain, he knew this, but this was her destiny. She was their savior!

"Hope and the Phoenix are meant to be together, and you can't stop it!"

No sooner had Cyclops said that than Tony Stark, in a unique Iron Man suit design, approached the large cosmic bird and fired a disruptor cannon at it. If the energy had hit a regular planet, it would have been vaporized. If it struck a star, it would be snuffed out. This was the kind of energy that Tony Stark fired at the entity.

There was an explosion of power that struck everyone present and rocked the moon itself as the large cosmic entity vanished.

"Did I do it? Did I kill the Phoenix?" Iron Man look at where the bird had been, now there were nothing but empty space. The large ship that he had built was completely destroyed by the backlash. He was amazed that he was still alive and breathed a sigh of relief as he tried to get a hold of his teammates.

Captain America staggered to his feet, along with the rest of the Avengers. He looked around the smoking charred field and saw that everyone was either passed out from their wounds, or just bleeding all over. Even he wasn't untouched, as half of his mask was ripped with blood flowing freely. He heard the beep from their communicators and opened a channel.

"Avengers... SITREP, are we alive?"

" **What did you do?** "

Captain America and the Avengers looked up to see Cyclops, Namor, the White Queen, and Colossus floating, their bodies looked as if they had been infused with the Phoenix Force. Their costumes had changed to a color scheme of gold, red, and black. Cyclops' visor looked avian, as if to reflect his new-found powers. He held the unconscious form of Hope Summers in his arms, as Magik was in Colossus'.

" **This power was meant for** _ **her**_ **. You did something to it, broke it somehow,** ' the Phoenix-Cyclops frowned at the Avengers.

"T **his was NOT suppose to happen.** "

" **My love,** " the transformed White Queen spoke up. " **Do you feel that? We are not complete, we are missing one.** "

Phoenix-Cyclops appeared to consider that before he turned around and pointed. Sure enough, they saw a streak of fire making its way to Earth. The four nodded at each other before chasing after it.

"R-reed," Captain America spoke tiredly into his communication device. "A fragment of the Phoenix Force is heading towards Earth. Can you tell me where it's going to land?"

"One second, Cap-Oh no!" Reed's voice suddenly sounded very alarmed.

"Where is it going, Reed?!" Captain America heard the alarm in the brilliant Superhero's tone. He never heard Reed sound like that unless it was dire news.

"Avengers Academy..." Reed breathed through their communication device. "It might be going after my ward."

"What? Why?" Captain America was perplexed as he noticed Dr. Strange was beginning to cast a spell to bring all of the able-bodied Avengers to the Academy.

"It is believed that he shared some aspect of the Phoenix Force, that is why he imprinted on Jean Grey of the X-Men. We later dismissed it because he imprinted on a regular human boy," Reed elaborated for the Captain. "The Fantastic Four will meet you over there!"

"Strange?" Captain America looked to the Sorcerer Supreme, and a flash of light later all of the Avengers, wounded and all, were transported.

+++ Wanda+++

Wanda Maximoff, better known as the disgraced hero Scarlet Witch, one-time Brotherhood member, full-time Avenger, murderer of an entire race, arrived first on the scene at Avengers Academy. She had stayed on the Helicarrier during the first battle between Avengers and X-Men. Captain America… Steve, had asked her to just simply be there as a deterrent. He was of the old-school methodology. Walk softly and carry a big stick. Wanda was Steve's big stick if his negotiation failed with Cyclops.

While it did fail, the X-Men escaped before she was ever needed. After that it became a war of small skirmishes all across the world. For something like that she was not needed and was content to wait at the base. She had no idea why Steve kept her from the battle on the Moon. Perhaps it was to protect her, and perhaps he feared that she would be unwilling to protect herself from the X-Men.

However, when she heard what happened and how the Phoenix was now headed to Earth, specifically the Avengers Academy, she knew she had to act. There were children there, children she would protect!

"Oh my god!" Tigra of the Avengers ran out and gasped in surprise, as the students followed. "Wanda? Whats going on?"

Before she could answer her longtime friend, the Avengers showed up in a burst of magic. Many looked wounded, and the students rushed over to help the adults.

"Wanda?" Steve Rogers looked surprised to see her there, but he immediately refocused.

"A piece of the Phoenix Force is coming here! Evacuate the students!" Captain America ordered, but it was too late as the golden streak was already above the Academy. Moments later it struck.

 **THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!**

All of the students were thrown off of their feet from the sheer shock wave, as where the Avengers. Wanda saw the four Phoenix-possessed mutants arrive just as the Avengers and children recovered. The four sets of burning eyes briefly gazed at her before they moved to the center of the crater, where a ball of oval fire could be seen. Judging by the expressions on their faces, they were at a lost as to what it was along with the rest.

"What the..." Tony Stark muttered as he tried to analyze the large ball of fire.

"Steve, they don't know what is going on either." Wanda informed her leader as she stood at the very front, ready to protect her friends.

Captain America looked up and noticed the frowns on their faces. Wanda was right. That's when the ball began to move, correction, unfurl itself as it stood up, outlining a humanoid shape that raised its hand into the air.

 **FOOOOOOOOOOOOSHHHH!**

The sheer force the fifth Phoenix unleashed was just as staggering. A Phoenix emblem was created as it let loose a piercing screech. The rolling wave of power made most step back and shield their eyes from the brightness.

 **SKREEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**

The assembled Avengers and kids cupped their hands to their ears from the piercing bird cry. Even the other Phoenix-possessed appeared startled by the cry.

"Steve, something is happening to it!" Tony saw a strange power fluctuation in the Phoenix's form. The flames that were covering the being were acting oddly.

The large Phoenix became still and appeared immobilized, when suddenly the great fire beast disappeared. A wave of extreme cold then burst out in all directions, making Wanda wrap her arms around herself from the chill. She saw the being at the center was now covered in an intense blue light of some kind. Then it too died out to reveal a figure, who collapsed to one knee panting.

Wanda's eyes widened and she was rendered speechless upon seeing the figure.

"I-Impossible!" Wolverine gasped raspily in shock.

"What's impossible?" Captain America asked as he tried to make out the figure.

Wolverine was right, it should have been impossible. But Wanda watched the figure pant on one knee and tears came to her eyes.

While she was responsible for the death of hundreds of mutants, it was only indirectly because she depowered them. The boy before her was someone she had personally ripped apart, a boy she later found out was the same age as her sons. It was a stinging shame that had stayed with her every waking moment since her recovery. She often had nightmares about blue eyes looking at her accusingly or a bloody corpse demanding vengeance from her.

"Wanda, don't!" Steve tried to hold her back, but with a wave of her hand she bound her one-time lover in place as she walked up to the panting figure.

+++Avengers +++

Captain America could only watch as Wanda was already next to the being, hesitant with her arms extended out halfway, as if to confirm if it was real. She had only temporarily stopped Steve from going after her, but now he was freed. He saw the being, which turned out to be a male, a boy really, get to his feet, but was now using his thighs as support as he continued to pant. Oddly enough, two of the four Phoenix-possessed X-Men had stunned expression on their faces. Captain America really got a good look at the boy, taking in the details of the figure.

The boy was wearing some kind of short sleeve red shirt that looked like it came from China. He woreg black pants that looked like those worn in kung fu movies that he had watched with the Avengers sometimes. That's when Steve saw the being's face, or rather, the boy. He was young, probably in his late teens, with black unruly hair, blue eyes, and a braided ponytail of some sort that was hanging over his shoulders.

A moment later, after having apparently recovered enough, the pigtailed boy stood up to his full height and appeared very surprised to see Wanda judging by his body langague. Then, before anyone could react, he laid Wanda out with a vicious uppercut. The Scarlet Witch flew five feet in the air in a perfect arc and fell on her back, out cold and slack-jawed from the punch.

Captain America was about to throw his shield when the boy, as if adding insult to injury, did a little victory dance around Wanda's unconscious form before he noticed the Avengers' incredulous glares focused on him. Instead of being defensive, he actually looked happy. His blue eyes were shining with happiness and his face bore a victorious grin. He pointed to the downed Scarlet Witch.

"I got her, guys!"

TBC...

AN: HE's BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK

First of all thanks for all the readers of last chapter that left a review. It was AMAZINg the reviews i got for that was almost on par with House of M. That boggled my mind. I am glad some people got it now and even got some forgivness for what I did with how i started off All New Homo Superior. :D

It was also interesting to see people speculate on what my title means and it's course. All New Homo Superior is a play on All New X-Men. That's all it was. And while I did give a Saffron perspective, which was actually pretty neat that he was strong enough to carry it, Homo Superior in any iteration central main character would be Ranma. :D After all he still need to do a couple of more things you know to be known as a hero on worldwide maybe, even intergalactic.

Anyway, I'll leave it just like that, once more thanks for the awesome feedback guys! And as always:

C+C Welcome, reviews Appreciated!


	3. Avengers vs X-Men: Part Two

Ranma belongs to Rumiko Sensei

X-Men belongs to Marvel Studios

Special thanks to Rinko Chan and Mingyu for doing WORK!

Homo Superior

Avengers vs X-Men: Part Two

*** Avengers Academy ***

Ranma blinked as the Avengers gawked at him with shocked expression on their faces.

"What?" He asked, pointing at the woman. "Is it because I didn't kill her?"

"Kill?!" a silver-haired man growls. "You dare?!"

Ranma saw the man coming toward him. The man was fast, there was no way in hell Ranma could have ever hoped to catch him in a foot race, but the man did Ranma a favor by racing toward him. What people don't know was that for a martial artist, a high-caliber one at that, almost all of them have a perfect defensive zone around them. Usually it extends to where their feet and fists end. There was also a reason why martial artists can be referred to as "lighting-fast." For some, that's an exaggeration. For Ranma, when he saw the speeding man move to scoop up the Scarlet Witch, Ranma threw a punch faster than anyone could see and socked the interloper across his face, making him bounce off of the ground and skid painfully until he ended up crashing into a tree. Proving that he was among the few that had _actual_ lighting-fast reflexes, Ranma looked to where the man was down for the count and nodded in satisfaction. He then put one of his feet on the Scarlet Witch's face, pinning her, as a cautionary gesture.

"Look guys," Ranma looked helplessly at the assembled group. "She was suddenly right in front of my face. My first instinct was just to knock her out, but now that she's down I can't just kill her in cold blood!"

Ranma twiddled his thumbs a bit nervously but noticed that they were still looking at him oddly. Captain America even had his shield out, ready to toss it.

' _Wait a second. Captain America?!'_

"What are you doing here?!" Ranma pointed at the First Avenger. "I thought you were old and stuff. Ms. Fros- uhh… what?"

Ranma blinked once. Twice. Three times.

"What the heck happened to _you_ guys?!"

Ranma saw three of his teachers floating high above him. They all looked very different from the last time he saw them. Ms. Frost was no longer wearing white, but instead gold and red. Mr. Summers had on black and red, while his visor was shaped ominously like a familiar avian. Mr. Colossus was in his metal form while still wearing gold and red. There was also a fourth person Ranma did not recognize, but they all looked much too different from just a moment ago.

" **Mister... Saotome?** " Professor Summers asked, to which Ranma nodded. But he had an even more pressing question.

"Errr… what's wrong with your voice? Why does it sound so… errr… like when Jean went crazy?"

"Kid?!" Wolverine's voice came out. Ranma searched, but almost hurled when he saw the mutant.

"What the- Logan?! What did the Witch bitch do to you?!" Ranma looked very concerned for his mentor, who was looking very gruesome by this point. The man looked as if he's been burnt alive.

"Ki-Ranma… wha- what's the last thing you remember?" Logan asked Ranma. But before he could answer he felt the Scarlet Witch stirring to consciousness.

"Hold up a second, Logan," Ranma looked down at the woman, lifted up his foot and stomped on her head, knocking her out again.

"That's enough, YOUNG MAN!" Captain America roared as he tossed his shield at Ranma.

Ranma saw it coming and grabbed it out of the air easily. "Hey! What the heck is wrong with you?!"

"NOBODY MOVES! _NOBODY_!" Wolverine roared at the Avengers as he began to limp his way over to Ranma.

Wonder Man, however, was not cowed but he noticed that a lot of his comrades were looking at the boy strangely and made no move of aggression toward the new guy. "You're gonna let that boy treat Wanda like that?"

"Shut up, Simon!" Ms. Marvel, aka Carol Danvers, spoke up. "Let Logan confirm something for us."

Unfortunately, that was when the X-Men arrived on the scene. To say they were shocked by their leaders' appearances was understating it. However, it was the boy standing on top of the downed Scarlet Witch that arrested their attention a moment later.

"Ranma?!" Rogue was the first one to shout in complete and utter shock.

"Yo." Ranma waved at the mutant girl, who looked quite a bit different to him. In truth all of them looked different. When the heck did they get a costume change? By that time, Logan was already by him, his claws retracted.

"Ranma…" Logan took a deep sniff and looked even more amazed. "It really is you, isn't it?"

"Of course," Ranma pounded his chest confidently. "I guess her attack failed and my cursed body protected me again. But, uh, Logan, what did Wanda do to Mr. Summers and Ms. Frost? Kinda freaky..."

Logan looked back at all of the Avengers and phrased his next question carefully. "Are you telling me that the last thing you remember was when we were fighting the House of Magnus?"

There were a lot of gasps from the Avengers and X-Men side, but otherwise they remained quiet.

"Errr, yeah. And what do you mean "remembered?" Aren't we stil-er… wait, just where the heck are we?" Ranma, for the first time, really took in his surroundings. Lots of trees and a mansion in the distance. There was definitely no throne room or tall spire.

"Avengers Academy," Logan answered, to which the boy's eyes widened in genuine shock.

"Wait… then… that means…." Ranma looked at Logan with wide-eyed awe. "I did it. I saved the world! I took out the crazy Scarlet Witch!"

The majority of X-Men and Avengers nearly lost their footing at the boy's remark.

"Damn, I'm so good I scare myself sometimes," Ranma looked very pleased with himself and looked down at the Scarlet Witch before he took off her headdress.

"I'm keeping this as a trophy."

"Kid!" Logan yelled at the boy, but on the inside, very, very deep inside, he wanted to laugh out loud. This! THIS was what Ranma brought with him. Absurdity and chaos!

"Kid… You died. We thought the Scarlet Witch killed you."

Ranma looked a bit taken aback before he frowned. "Bullshit! I'm here aren't I? I think she just messed with your mind again."

"Kid! Look around you. Does this look like that battlefield from back then?" Wolverine insisted and gestured with his hands all around them.

Ranma followed Wolverine's action and took a very good look around. He was right, it was too different. How could he have missed it the first time? But then again, he had just recovered from being being torn to shreds.

"Well, if I supposedly " _died_ " then how am I back here? Hmm?" Ranma air quoted before he folded his arms. "In fact, what if it is all of you guys who died and I'm the only one alive? What if you were all created by her out of guilt or something? Whoa… there might be some weird-ass… err, what was that movie Myst had me watch? OH yeah. Some weird-ass Inception bullshit going on!"

At that, he pointed to the Scarlet Witch and saw Logan take a step back, as if he had never even considered that idea. Ranma saw this and decided to press the point home.

"You know, I didn't recognize him at first," Ranma pointed over to Quicksilver. "But I'm pretty sure I killed him during the battle. Split him in half. And yet here he is again, alive and whole. Who brought him back if not her?"

Logan wanted to explain, but found himself coming up short. Ranma still thought he was in the battle against the Scarlet Witch, and there was no real way to prove to him he was not. He might dismiss everything as an illusion.

"You two, you should convince him this is not a dream," Logan pointed at the people he'd been enemies with up until a few minutes ago. However, he was willing to let this slide to get Ranma on the right track. He owed Jean that much, and so did Scott and Emma.

" **Mister-No, Ranma, this is not an illusion. Three years have passed since the battle at the House of Magnus. We drove her off, but at great cost. You being one of them,** " Cyclops was the one who took the initiative to address the pigtailed boy as he hovered down next to Logan.

" **-the other, which came at a higher price, was the mutant race becoming extinct because of her**."

"Summers!" Wolverine growled at the man and wanted to attack, but saw Ranma looking apprehensive.

" **It's the truth Logan, and I am not going to sugarcoat it,** " Cyclops looked at Ranma, then pointed to the downed Scarlet Witch, who appeared to be regaining consciousness again. But a quick kick by Ranma knocked her out once more.

" **She wiped out the mutant race with her power. 'No more mutants,' she uttered. And with that, millions of mutants, save two hundred, lost their powers**."

"No way..." Ranma's eyes widened in shock and looked down at the woman at his mercy for the moment. "What happened to the school? The students? _Are_ they still students?"

"I run it now. Cyclops here runs another," Wolverine interjected and dared the Phoenix-possessed mutant to contradict him.

"Kid, long story short, while the Scarlet Witch did do that, she has regained her sanity recently. The Avengers, and some of the X-Men, are willing to give her a second chance."

"Just like that?" Ranma frowned. "Isn't that letting her off a bit too easy?"

Wolverine gritted his teeth as Cyclops smiled, a pleased look on his face.

"It was a lot more complicated than that, and I'm willing to tell you more later, but first we have bigger issues at the moment," Logan told the boy and stepped back. He found it was always best to let the boy decide things for himself.

"And the X-Men are okay with that?" Ranma looked to both his teachers skeptically. If it was him, he would be demanding blood.

" **It matters little now,** " Cyclops spoke up and stared at the boy. " **Not when the mutant race is now on the verge of being reborn.** "

"Errr... What?" Ranma looked at the Headmaster of Xavier's School. "First you say mutants were are all gone, now they are almost reborn? Which is it?!"

" **The Phoenix had come to Earth once more to save the entire mutant race,** " Cyclops growled as he pointed to Logan and the Avengers.

" **But they tried to stop us.** "

Ranma looked over at the Avengers and glared. Why would they be so petty as to stop an entire race from being reborn?

"Kid, it's more complicated than that. Cyclops is not telling the full story," Wolverine saw the boy's judgmental look and needed to head that off.

"He wanted to force a sixteen year-old girl to host the Phoenix against her will. An unwilling host would destroy this planet."

"Whoa..." Ranma blinked and then turned to see Cyclops' face remain expressionless.

" **She will be ready when the time comes. But Ranma, we need you**." Cyclops extend his hand to the pigtailed boy.

Ranma blinked. "Why?"

" **You too have a fifth of the Phoenix inside of you. We need to give all five pieces to her.** " Cyclops explained, and heard everyone in the area gasp in surprise. Even his old friend Wolverine was not immune.

"I have what?!" Ranma shouted before he looked critically at Cyclops and the three others with the reddish-yellow glow to them.

"Is that why you guys look like that? You're all possessed by the Phoenix?!"

" **It has given us the power to create, yes,** " Cyclops confirmed Ranma statement in a roundtable way.

"But… I don't look like you guys. In fact, I don't feel any different," Ranma frowned before he backed away toward Logan. "Not to mention, that outfit you are wearing looks… not quite right on you..."

Cyclops remained silent for a moment as if trying to confirm something. " **Our senses do not lie, you have it. The Avengers witnessed you emerging from it. However, you…** _ **suppressed**_ **it somehow.** "

Wolverine and the Avengers returned their attention to the pigtailed boy. Things were just one big surprise after another.

Before any anyone else could say anything, they were interrupted by the students.

"R-Ranma?" The voice was soft and feminine, but full of disbelieving hope.

Ranma turned his attention to the familiar voice and saw his girlfriend and her sisters. "Celeste? Irma? Phoebe? I thought they said three years passed. You three look the sam-ack!"

Celeste didn't even reply as she ran to him and jumped into his arms. Ranma easily caught her, but then felt the two other blondes attach themselves to him, hugging him for all they were worth.

"Ummm..." Ranma was uncertain of what to do, seeing the girls' silent tears, and found it a bit embarrassing that everyone was looking at him with the girls. However, if it had been three years...

"I'm back?"

"Holy shit, it is you!" Ranma was surprised to see Evan gawking at him. Unlike the Cuckoos, Evan showed that time actually had passed. The boy was now older looking and his spikes were more pronounced. Before he could ask where Myst was, he felt a soft something wrapping itself around his head. He looked up and saw the solid upper body of the first friend-in-question smiling at him. She too looked older. That's when he realized something else, something much more important.

"Myst! You can touch me now?"

"Missed." Myst replied softly as she stared at him. "Happy."

"Damn, that kid's got game," Hawkeye was the first to comment. They were able to put things together now; he could not hold it against the kid for leveling out Wanda like he did. But now they had to set it right.

"Seriously though, kid, this really is not the time for a reunion. We were kind of in the middle of something here."

Ranma blushed in embarrassment as all the eyes of these renowned heroes were looking at him. They did look like they were in the middle of something.

" **I couldn't agreed more, now, please kindly return our children to us,** " Emma smiled at her girls before she glared at the Avengers.

The children from the X-Men side at the Avengers Academy rushed over to their side immediately. The other adults could do nothing but let them go. The children weren't under arrest.

"Ranma, you jerk..." Akane came close to Ranma but did not hug him, through her eyes were clearly misty. He simply had too many girls on him already. There was no space for her. She smiled a bit sadly at that, but also was very happy at her ex-fiancé's return.

"I _knew_ you were too stubborn to die."

"Course not! I'm Ranma Saotome, after all!" Ranma puffed his chest out proudly and heard giggling from his two sides from the other Cuckoos. They still didn't let him go though. That's when he saw another figure coming up to him, making Ranma's eyes widen in surprise.

"Sa-Saffron?"

"F-Father?" Saffron's eyes were wide in complete shock at seeing his old father-figure alive and around his age noless! Although, there was a wariness to how his father was looking at him. That hurt.

Ranma eyes brightened as he had an epiphany. "This is an alternate -"

"It's not an ALTERNATE REALITY!" Celeste cut off the boy angrily and punched him in the stomach, but found it did little to hurt him.

"You are here, in your home reality, like you belong. Saffron suffered an ordeal that aged him quicker over three years. You are HOME, idiot!"

"I dunno about that," Ranma looked at her skeptically before he felt another presence just appear on his back, almost as if piggybacking. A moment later, he felt a tongue licking his cheek, which made Celeste extremely angry.

"ILLYANA!" Colossus roared in outright shock, scandalized that the moment his sister woke up and saw the pigtailed boy, she jumped out of his arms and onto the boy's back, completely dispersing Myst form. The water base mutant was not pleased at being literally brushed out of the way by the blonde.

"The kid doesn't just have game," Luke Cage chuckled at the absurdity of the situation. "He could field a team!"

Wolverine was chuckling as well until his eyes bugged out at seeing Laura walking slowly toward the boy. Thankfully all the girl did was sniff at Ranma to confirm that he was really who he said he was. Her stance showing aggression before began to relax.

"L-Laura?" Ranma blinked as Wolverine's daughter sniffed him for a bit before she was satisfied.

"You really are you," Laura looked inordinately pleased.

" **We're leaving** ," Cyclops stared at the Avengers as if daring them to stop him. He then looked at the pigtailed boy. " **Ranma, you're coming with us?** "

"You are going to allow a non-mutant in Utopia?" Wolverine did not want to lose Ranma, but he had a feeling he might. Hopefully, he could give the kid a head's up on what he was about to get into.

"Utopia? Where the heck is that?" Ranma saw the silver-haired man wake up and speed toward them in one moment. However, there were literally too many people wrapped around him for him to move without hurting them. Thankfully, the man just plucked his sister up and ran back to the Avengers' line; of course, Ranma still had her headdress in his hand.

" **It's the home of the remaining mutant race now, under my leadership,** " Cyclops answered the boy.

" **Do not be concerned, your status is special. Not only were you a student of ours, your abilities are far greater than most mutants. Not to mention, you have the Phoenix inside of you as well. You belong with us.** "

"What happened to-"

" **Ranma, all of your questions will be answered when we get to Utopia,"** Emma Frost cut in. **"But for now let us depart, shall we?** "

Ranma looked down at the girls, then at Evan, Akane and Laura. "You guys going to Utopia?"

They all nodded.

"Laura?!" Wolverine looked a bit shocked, but she only shook her head at him.

" **Magik, if you can tear yourself away from Mr. Saotome, and get the rest of us back,** " Emma Frost sounded a bit amused. But the blonde sister of Colossus jumped off his back and opened up a portal swallowing them and all of the X-Men.

After the X-men and the Phoenix-Four left, the courtyard remained quiet for a moment as the Avengers all looked to each other, wondering what it all meant. Sure the Phoenix did not destroy the planet like they thought, but it was now in four, possibly five different people. The four mutants were obviously a concern, as they looked much too different. The fifth, however, was so… normal.

"I am gonna analyze the data readings I got when the kid showed back up," Tony told the group before he flew away to his labs.

"What do we do now, Steve?" Hawkeye looked to his oldest friend.

"We wait and see what they do next," Captain America sighed. They were much too injured to do anything else at the moment.

"Get everyone healed up, we might be needed again soon."

"How could you guys let the boy hit Wanda like that?!" Quicksilver, however, was not going to have it. At the mention of her name, she began to stir in his arms. Her face was bruised and her nose was bloodied.

"Way I figure it, your sister got off lightly. Or did you forget what he did to you?" Wolverine exhaled and reached for his cigars, only to find they were all destroyed when Hope burned him on the moon.

"Besides, she owed the kid, and it was better for her to take the shot rather than pushing the boy into Cyclops arms."

"Uh, Logan, newsflash, the kid went with the crazy mutants," Spider-Man pointed out, but saw his old friend shrug in response.

"He did, but he did so cautiously," Wolverine turned to look at the group. "He still has to make a decision regarding Cyclops, or did you not hear how he pointed out that Cyclops and the others looked like bad guys, or sounded like Jean when she went crazy? He's a clever kid, he'll figure out their game, then do the right thing."

"You trust him that much?" Captain America looked to the old mutant. Probably the oldest among all of the mutants.

"With my life," Wolverine replied without hesitation. "He was taught by the best person I knew, and I fought by the kid's side. He might be young, brash, and borderline-arrogant, but he's also a hero through and through."

"Then there is the fact young Mister Saotome suppressed the Phoenix somehow," Dr. Strange pointed out, which brought a whole host of new questions to the fore.

"Any idea how he could do that, Wolverine?"

Wolverine merely shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"Alright then. Strange, see if you can find out how he was able to suppress the Phoenix. The rest of you guys, be on guard and keep your ears to the ground."

With that, the Avengers dismissed to rest and lick their wounds.

*** Utopia***

There was a bright light as Ranma and the entirety of the X-Men along with their students arrived on a deck of some sort. The other X-Men, those that he knew like Mr. Lebeau, Evan's Aunt Ms. Munroe, Strong Guy, and others came up to greet him happily, some even ruffling his hair affectionately before they left.

" **We'll call for you later. Get yourself reacquainted with your new home** ," Cyclops told the pigtailed boy before he smirked.

" **And Mister Saotome, welcome back.** "

Ranma blinked as the leader of the X-Men walked away with the other three Phoenix-fied people. The X-Men themselves dispersed, knowing that it was a private moment for some of their students, while the younger students looked on curiously at the pigtailed boy that apparently knew everyone in some sort of way.

"So, how've you guys been?" Ranma asked lamely with the girls still clinging to him. He was running out of real estate!

"You know, it figures you'd brush off death," Evan was the first to speak up in amusement.

Ranma chuckled and looked around. "So… where's Beak?"

"He- He was one of the casualties of the Scarlet Witch," Evan looked down sadly. "I should text him and let him know you're back. He's moonlighting as a legit hero now. Joined the Fifty-States Initiative and everything."

"Oh." Ranma didn't know what to say to that. "Anyone else I know?"

"Sybil and Veronica..." Evan informed him and saw that his non-aging friend looked worried. "Don't worry though, they're with Dazzler's agency as supermodels. They're in demand right now too, so it's not a problem. They're fine."

"Oh, I'm glad." Ranma breathed a sigh of relief but saw Evan face. It did not look like good news was coming.

"The Elite programs, however, was gutted. Hellion still has his power, as does Laurie, Icarus and Elixir. But the other two lost theirs along with most of the other trainees."

"Sofia and Prodigy?" Ranma winced. Those two loved being mutants. "So where did they go?"

"The X-Men had to send them all home for fear they might be hurt by the anti-mutant forces. Good thing nothing happened though."

Myst, having decided that she had hugged Ranma long enough, broke off then and stood next to Evan.

"Long."

"Hey! A lot happened!" Evan told his partner who gave him a judgmental look.

"Illyana, stop that!" Celeste tried to push the magical mutant's face away from Ranma's cheek.

"I haven't tasted this in three years, and I'm actually in full possession of my facilities now. No way I am stopping," Magik wrapped her arms around Ranma's neck even tighter.

"What do you mean, "full possession?" Ranma eyed the girl nervously before he noticed something. "What happened to your pet bird?"

The girl's eyes suddenly became downcast and watered a bit.

"She lost it in the battle to protect Hope from Bastion and his forces," Akane explained tactfully for her ex-fiancé. "Its help bought us the time we needed to defend her."

"Ah… I'm sorry," Ranma really meant it and ruffled the older girl's hair. It took him a moment more to realize that they were all older than him now. Or were they?

"Do I look older to you guys?"

The Cuckoos broke away from him as they gave him a critical once-over.

"Hmmm, he looks the same to me...," Irma frowned as she scanned the pigtailed boy she had dearly missed.

"Hmm...what should we put on his new I.D then?" Evan pondered. "Is he still seventeen, or twenty like the rest of us?"

"We can decided that later, I would think. Let's get the students squared away first," Akane motioned to the students still hanging around off to the side.

"And Ranma, can't you at least acknowledge your son?"

At the mention of the elephant in the room, Ranma looked over to Saffron and sweated a bit. The boy, no, teen now, was dressed like him, well, a white version of his outfit. The teen shuffled in place under Ranma's critical gaze.

"Are you still...I mean, do you even still feel that way?" Ranma asked, genuinely puzzled. The boy shyly nodded with a blush.

"Even though you're almost as old as me now?"

"Rachel." Myst spoke up to remind Ranma, and to support Saffron. "Cable."

"Yeah, they still considered Jean and Cyclops their parents, even as old as they are. Oh, and there's also Nate Gre-" Evan began before he saw Myst level a harsh glare at him.

"DOESN'T!-" Myst angrily glared at Evan. "- COUNT!"

"Okay, okay. Sheesh!" Evan raised his hands in surrender before turning to Ranma. "So no, its not weird, Ranma."

"You've got a point," Ranma conceded as he slowly stepped over to Saffron and did something that he would've never done before attending the Xavier School. He hugged Saffron quickly, and released him almost instantly.

"Ahem. Sorry for not being there for you and… stuff..."

Saffron, however, brightened at the hug and smiled even as his father sighed forlornly. "You saved the world, Father. I'm sure Mother would have been proud."

"Oh, look at you, all formal and crap," Ranma laughed at the boy, who shied away at his parental figure's criticism. Ranma saw that and waved in a panic.

"N-Not that it's bad or nothing, it's good! You're more cleaned up than your old man for sure."

Saffron could only become bashful at the compliment.

"Geez, can't win, huh," Ranma exhaled a breath, but saw his older friends looking at him with smiles on their faces. "Yeah, yeah. Yuk it up."

"I can't help it," Celeste teased as she pretended to wipe away a non-existent tear and took out her smart phone to record the scene. "It's such a heartwarming reunion between a father and his son."

"Oh, shut up!" Ranma half-screamed, embarrassed by the need to be fatherly himself. He was still only seventeen after all, and now he had a fully-grown adult son. Was this why Jean had rejected Rachel all those years ago? Cause it was weird?!

"Ahem. So, who's been taking care of you, boy?"

Akane began to giggle.

"What now?!" Ranma yelled at Akane, who only laughed harder.

"Y-Your father called you "boy" all the time! Guess it's "like father, like son" after all!" Akane then pointed at Ranma and kept laughing, rather obnoxiously in his opinion.

Saffron, however, was very happy at earning a nickname that meant something.

"You-!" Ranma had to bite down the string of insults he wanted to throw at her, but remembered that he wasn't her fiancé anymore. Old habits die hard. He then turned back to the smiling boy.

"So, who do I have to thank for taking care of you?"

"Aunt Susie, err, that is Susan Storm-Richards," Saffron elaborated just in case.

"Really?" Ranma mused for a moment and nodded. "She always did like you, and you had Franklin as a playmate… oh, that's awkward. Growing up faster than your friend."

"A-Actually," Saffron interrupted his father. "It was an accident. Frankie and Valeria aged ten years also."

Ranma suddenly froze up. "Wait. You ALL aged ten years, even that cute little girl? The one you always said had cooties?"

Saffron ducked his head in embarrassment as Gabriel and the other five lights started to laugh at him.

"Awww Saffron, you were afraid of girls?" Pixie giggled softly. "Don't worry, I don't bite. I promise!"

"Oh, what's this? A fiancee?" Ranma blinked at the cute purple-haired girl with butterfly wings on her back.

"W-Wha?" Pixie became instantly flustered at the comment of Saffron's father. "No-not yet Mr. Saotome! M-maybe when we get to know each other more ..and.. and..."

Pixie twiddled her thumbs bashfully, much to the pigtailed boy's confusion.

"BWAHAHAA!" Celeste and her sisters laughed and pointed to the pigtailed boy. "She – haha- called you. MISTER Saotome! Bwahaha! YOU ARE SO OLD!"

Akane, for her part, just face-palmed. But then again, considering who it was, she wasn't surprised that this was his go-to assumption.

Pixie flushed a bit. Did she just inadvertently embarrass Saffron's dad?

'That's not how you score points, Megan!' the girl thought to herself.

Ranma glared at his girlfriend and her sisters before he took the high road and ignored them. He turned back to the girl and gave her a look full of hardship.

"Look, just call me Ranma. All of you, call me Ranma. Not "Mister Saotome" or "Saotome, " just Ranma. Okay?"

"Okay, Mi- er Ranma," Pixie agreed and inwardly rejoiced at the save. With Hope with the X-Men leaders away, she was gonna get in good with the dad. After all, who wouldn't want a dad-approved girl?

"Good girl," Ranma smiled before he realized the girl was as old as he was. Coughing into his hand he looked at Saffron to change the subject. "We should probably spar later, wanna know how good ya got."

With that, Ranma patted Saffron on his back gruffly, sending the winged boy to the ground.

"What the heck?"

"Saffron!" Pixie and Akane called out in concern, while the others glared at the returned pigtailed boy accusingly.

"What?! I wasn't even putting that much strength behind it!" Ranma defended himself and pointed to his groaning adopted son. "He was a lot stronger than this before!"

"Raaaanma!" Akane whirled on her ex- fiancé, looking angry. However, this time it was not out of jealousy, but protectiveness of her student.

"I know you've been gone for a while, so I'll let this pass. Just know that Saffron has been raised… differently from how you were."

As if in reply, the winged boy groaned again in affirmation before was slowly helped to his feet by his classmates.

"The Richards coddled the boy?" Ranma blinked once, and then again before he turned to look at Saffron. This time to really take in the boy as he was, and not how he was like in the past.

Saffron, for his part, was nervous when he saw his father eyeing him critically.

"She taught him more than fighting, yes. Things like advanced mathematics, sciences, and other courses normal people usually take, " Akane defended her student, but saw in Ranma's eyes that he was already dismissing her argument.

"So she _coddled_ the boy," Ranma confirmed as he looked at Saffron and took in the differences. "That would explains why his wings are smaller."

Saffron looked downcast at his father comment. It hurt. A lot. That is, until he felt hands fall onto his shoulders. Looking up, he saw his father's eyes filled with chagrin.

"We are going to fix that first chance we get," Ranma told the slightly shorter teen. The Saffron he knew was a monster, and he would make the boy that powerful again. No Saotome was gonna be this much of a pansy!

"I _promise_."

Saffron gulped a bit nervously at his father's tone, but nodded happily because his father appeared to genuinely care about his development! He was about to say something else when Teon broke away from Transonic's grip and ran toward the Cuckoos.

"Mate! Mate! Mate!" Teon, aka Primal, ran toward the targets of his lust.

"No! Teon! BAD!" Saffron dived in the boy's way, only to be stepped on and used as a springboard to leap toward the girls happily.

"Mate! Mate!" Teon's tongue salivated, but he found himself halted in midair as a powerful grip on his neck stopped him. There was a cold sensation where the grip was, so much so it felt like it was burning.

"And who do we have here?" Ranma intoned in such a soft voice that it sent shivers through all present.

Teon, however, growled and tried to attack Ranma by using his impressive strength, only for the grip to become even tighter. Then a powerful wave of cold flooded his body, making him shiver and his eyes widen.

Ranma turned the feral-type mutant boy towards himself and looked him dead in the eyes. Teon sensed something inside the boy, something primal like him. Something that had already claimed the females. As if an unspoken conversation took place, Ranma gave the feral boy a final icy look.

"Do we understand each other?"

Teon stared into the cold eyes of Ranma and bowed his head in submission. With that, Ranma dropped the boy, who ran off in fear.

"That...was hot," Phoebe commented as she turned to her blushing sister and decided to tease her. "Look Celeste, your boyfriend is defending your honor~~ I swoon! Swoo-OUCH!"

She was rewarded by the girl in question with a hard pinch on her arm.

Ranma stopped his Soul of Ice and was happy that worked, the alternative was to beat the boy into submission. And since there were so few mutants here now, he didn't need that impression at this new school.

Again.

"So, I heard there are two schools now?" Ranma asked and saw the others sigh. "Another long story?"

"Oh, like you wouldn't believe," Evan sighed. The war for the Messiah was brutal and complicated. Before he could elaborate, however, there was a powerful wash of energies. Then a large image of Cyclops and the rest of the Phoenix Four could be seen above Utopia itself.

" _ **Fellow Mutants, Friends, Students**_ _,_ " Cyclops began loudly for all to hear. " _ **The day that we have long awaited is here! The rebirth of the mutant race is at hand! As you know, the Avengers tried to stop our Messiah from attaining her birthright and doom us all to oblivion, but they underestimated the Phoenix**_ _!_ "

Cyclops than held his hands out to the Phoenix Four.

" _ **Though they denied Hope her birthright, the Phoenix bequeathed us with its power in her place.**_ "

Cyclops than gripped his fist.

" _ **With that power, we will, for once, no longer need FEAR those who would do us harm. We need no longer fear attacks on our home. In fact, we shall rebuild Utopia better than ever before. But we will not be selfish with our gifts. No, we will share them with the world. Hunger, poverty, barren lands - we will breath new life everywhere, feed those who can't and stop evil where we see it.**_ "

The leader of the X-Men then slowly lowered his fist dramatically.

" _ **Today, I declare, no more hiding! No more running! From here, we will begin anew. From here, we will create Pax Utopia for both mutant and humankind!**_ "

Ranma looked to his friends, who were looking awed by their leader's speech, even moved. Even his girlfriend and his son. Was he the only one that felt uneasy about Cyclops' speech? It did not feel like something a superhero would say. Instead of inspiring Ranma, it made him cautious instead.

Suddenly, four powerful presences made themselves known in front of the group of teens. At the head was Cyclops, who walked over to the pigtailed boy.

" **Now, Ranma, it's about time we talked.** "

TBC…

AN: First off it's finally released! Personal things happened in life and sometime that's all you can do right? Thoughts and Prayers Mingyu. Now, just to head this off, you won't get to see the talk, it'll be reference but the gist of it will the set up already set it up, no need to retread that! This chapter however is the straight return of Ranma and the reaction. 

Yes, Wanda is my butt monkey for right now BUT just ONE more time, promise!

Once again, thank you to everyone who left a review!

Also always, C+C welcome reviews appreciated!


	4. Avengers vs X-Men: Part Three

Ranma belongs to Rumiko Sensei

X-Men belongs to Marvel Studios

Homo Superior

 **Special Thanks to Riniko and Mingyu for editing this despite their busy life schedule!**

Avengers vs X-Men: Part Three

*** Utopia- Ten Days Later ***

Ranma chose to rest on one of the higher buildings that overlooked Utopia. It had been hectic week for his friends and girlfriend, who were an integral part of Utopia. So their catch-up time was almost nonexistent. They kept him in their sights, but it did not feel good being a third wheel everywhere he went. He realized suddenly that they were adults now, while he still considered himself a student. Seeing them walk around with purpose, handling their responsibilities, was eye-opening. It also made him feel like an outsider looking in. That was why he felt like finding a nice view overlooking the entire city.

From up there the wind was powerfully whipping back and forth, making his pigtailed flap wildly and ruffling his baggy pants. Surprisingly, he didn't feel cold in his trademarked short sleeved red Chinese shirt and black pants with matching kung-fu shoes. Below him was a grand structure that had not existed until three days ago, and more was being added every day. Most of the structure was extravagant, utilitarian, made for mutants to stay. They had been flocking from all over the world since Cyclops address. As it turns out, that little speech was not only broadcast in Utopia.

The construction really should have been beyond what humans could do, but it was not impossible for people who possessed the Phoenix power. Ranma shuddered, as this was only a fraction of what the Phoenix could do. When that thing had come for Jean, it had been almost amicable and Jean herself had been resigned to follow wherever it went. Yet here it was again, and there was no indication of Jean's presence anywhere.

Just, what did it do to his mentor?

Ranma closed his eyes and let his senses flow where the X-Men, all of them, were having a relaxing time enjoying themselves. The past three years appeared to had been quite hard on them, with what all they had to go through. This was their paradise, their haven for mutants, so why did it unsettle him? Sure, he was welcomed by everyone, even the Phoenix Four, but he exhibited none of their power.

Celeste had to keep on assuring him that this was, in fact, real. But how could so much crap have happened in the last three years? A Civil War between superheroes? The internment of all remaining mutants? The birth of the mutant Messiah? An invasion by the shape-shifting race known as the Skrull? The brief period of time that a supervillain actually ruled the world? The Hulk going crazy and attacking the world with an alien armada?

Really?

Then there was the schism between Cyclops and Wolverine, with Cyclops staying here while Wolverine ran the Xav- no… it was named after Jean now. It was somehow fitting and touching at the same time. Yet, all of it was too much, all of it was too wild, too different from the world he remembered. He could understand if most of that took place over a period of a decade? But only three years?

"You can come out, you know. I don't bite," Ranma told the person that had been hiding in the shadows behind him while he was lost in thoughts.

"I'm s-sorry. I didn't think anyone was here," a girl's voice answered with some uncertainty. "If you want, I can go someplace else..."

"Nah," Ranma turned to see a girl who almost looked like Jean, but not at the same time. It was mostly the eye color and hair. This must be Hope Summers, he surmised. He then pointed to the space next to him.

"Plenty of room up here."

The girl dressed in gray jeans, with a black and pink jacket on, walked closer to the edge with her arms wrapped around herself to look out at the view.

"S-So, you're Ranma Saotome..." the girl began conversationally as the winds hammered her hair, making it flutter wildly.

"Yep, and you're the famous Hope Summers, Mutant Messiah and daughter of Professor Cable right?" Ranma grinned, but saw the girl looked a bit uncomfortable. "Oh, don't like being the savior of the entire mutant race?"

Hope did not reply, but instead looked at Utopia.

"Look, if it makes you feel any better, I won't treat you like your special or nuthing," Ranma made the offer to the girl, who looked a bit surprised.

"I'm pretty sure you shit stinks just like everybody elses."

Hope blinked, before chuckling at the vulgar assurance.

"Now the Phoenix Four, those guys might be a different story," Ranma grinned and sent the girl into outright laughter.

"So the stories about you are true," Hope stifled another laugh at the amusing and disgusting imagery. "Ms. Akane always did say you were blunt to a fault."

"Blunt? Wow, someone was kind," Ranma smirked as he looked at the shorter girl. "I've been told I have terminal Foot-in-Mouth disease."

Hope blinked, having never heard of the term before.

"Guess if you're around me long enough you'd see," Ranma grinned as he looked back down at the scenic view.

The two stayed in companionable silence for a few minutes before Hope gave in first and broke it.

"So..." Hope ventured, as she looked at the boy she heard so much about from Ms. Akane. "Is it weird being back after three years?"

"Kinda... but then again," Ranma looked out at the grand city before him. "I think that's weirder."

"Oh." Hope looked up at the slightly older boy who appeared to be in deep thought. The two remained in silence for a couple more minutes, and this time it was the pigtailed boy who restarted the conversation.

"Soo…. Akane told you stories about me?" Ranma looked at the girl, and then went over to the edge and sat down, letting his legs dangle in the air.

Hope was unsure if she was brave enough to do even that, but got closer. "Yes, a lot actually. Did you really get traded for a bowl of rice and two pickles?"

"And a fish," Ranma corrected and shook his head at the girl. "Why do people always forget about the fish? Also, you can sit next to me if you want; I'll catch ya if you slip. Promise."

Hope looked at the boy before she nodded and sat back down next to him, but leaned more toward him because she suddenly realized how high up she was with no mutant ability to let her fly if she fell.

"And the Cat-Fist training? Did your father really do that to you to make you stronger?"

"Yep," Ranma popped the 'P' and he kicked his legs at the empty air. "Not his brightest idea, and that's saying a lot about him, but I got some help for it, so it's not too bad now."

Hope could not imagine being afraid of kittens. But she began to inquire more about Ranma's life, to which he elaborated on some things and corrected her on others. She was simply appalled by Mr. Ryoga's behavior back then, he was one of the best men she knew now, but she guessed love made you do weird things. She looked at the pigtailed boy again and could not help but find herself oddly attracted to him, but not in a she-likes-boys kind of way, but as if she could take comfort from his presence. She hadn't really felt this safe since she was with Nathan.

"So… why do you think New Utopia is weird?" Hope was now brave enough to kick her legs in the air like Ranma.

"Well, I only knew the old one for a couple of days, but it changed… too fast," Ranma admitted to the girl. "Akane ever tell you about the Battle Dogi incident?"

Hope thought for a second before she shook her head.

"Well, the magical Dogi was an outfit that let the user wearing it attain their greatest potential in martial arts," Ranma explained and looked up at the clear sky, it had been this same type of weather for days now.

"That meant that a person no longer needed to work hard for their art, and got all of their potential unlocked simply by wearing a few pieces of fabric."

Hope was surprised at that, having never heard Ms. Akane mention it at all.

"This feels a bit like that," Ranma waved to the city below them. "Could this have been what mutant-kind builds? Sure. Did they build it though? Not really."

"Oh..." Hope gave the pigtailed boy's words some thought. "So whatever happened to the magical thingy?"

"We donated it to charity," Ranma thought darkly of the pain-in-the-ass clothes. The worst part was Akane's blackmailing by saying she'd be mad if he hit her. Made it so much harder for him to get rid of it.

"So you never put it on yourself?"

"I couldn't," Ranma grinned at the redhead. "It only liked girls and the girl would have to have no figure to even be able to wear it."

Hope's eyes widened in shock. "A-Are you saying Ms. Akane-"

"Compared to some of the women here? Yes, BUT don't tell her I said that, it's just a fact! She can't be mad at me for facts!" Ranma replied defensively, sneaking glances at the girl. Last thing he needed was for her to rat him out.

"Mmmm..." Hope looked at Ranma dubiously, but decided to let it go. "So… if you could wear it, would you?"

"Hmmm..." Ranma gave it some real thought, but his mind had known the answer since a long time ago. "No, probably not. I mean, sometimes a shortcut is nice, but it doesn't feel right. Things you earn through hard work are more rewarding."

" **But what could be more right, Ranma?** " Cyclops' voice came from behind them, making Hope jump and almost fall. But Ranma had wrapped his arms around her waist to steady her.

" **Mutant-kind has suffered too much, but now we are rewarded.** "

Ranma shrugged noncommittally. It appeared like Cyclops been eavesdropping. "I guess, but don't you think you are taking it a bit too far by doing all that other stuff to the world? Did they even ask for your help? More importantly, how much good did Jean do the first time before she became the Phoenix?"

Cyclops remained silent before he looked directly at Ranma. " **Jean suffered the entirety of the Phoenix power by herself. We share the burden among us five, and you yourself already tamed your piece. I do not see why the rest of us can't**."

Ranma once more shrugged and decided to remain tactfully silent for once. Cyclops was unnerving, something he never thought he'd say of the X-Men leader.

" **As for you, Hope, you shouldn't mope around, this isn't a prison. As I have told you many time since you woke, you can leave if you are unhappy,** " Cyclops turned from the pigtailed boy to look at their messiah.

"I-I can't," Hope looked away from the leader of the X-Men and at the city below. "I want to… but _it_ calls to me."

Ranma watched as Cyclops' arms became alight with a very familiar fire as he presented it to the girl.

" **It** _ **is**_ **seductive, the power of life and death, the power to remake worlds, simply power… and infinite at that.** "

The pigtailed boy did not agree with what Cyclops was saying at all. In fact, he thought the opposite, but he saw the entranced look on the girl's face.

"I can hear it..." Hope whispered as she stared longingly into the fire.

" **Yes.** " Cyclops then extended his hands out to the girl, the fire in his hand was now taking the shape of the cosmic bird.

" **And if I offered it to you now, would you take it?** "

Hope slowly reached for the power that had called her all her life. However, just as she was about to touch it, Cyclops balled his fist and snuffed out the power and pulled it back.

" **But you turned it down. It was YOURS, and you** _ **rejected**_ **it.** " Cyclops voice became chiding, even slightly mocking. " **And now I know you don't deserve it.** "

"Way I heard it, you were doing your damnest to try and get her that power," Ranma suddenly cut in and stood protectively in front of the girl.

" **Ranma...** " Cyclops appeared a bit taken aback at the boy's interference.

"Ya know teach, what was that you use to teach about absolute power," Ranma remembered the X-men leader lesson when he taught ethics. "You wanted to give it to Hope, but now that you have it and can control it, you want to keep it?"

Cyclops was silent for a moment, he made to walk away, but not before looking back at the pigtailed boy.

" **You are just like her, a child. I had almost mistaken you as an adult. How can the two of you hope to understand this power if you have experienced nothing of the real world? Perhaps that is why you have exhibited none of our abilities, you simply do not know how to use it.** "

With that, the leader of Utopia walked away, leaving the two teens behind.

"Wow, he became more of a hardass than before," Ranma muttered and saw Hope hugging herself. "You alright?"

"You know, I can still hear it." Hope told the pigtailed boy. "It wants to burn brighter, hotter. Even from you I can hear it."

"Really?" Ranma looked down at himself and patted himself down. "Where exactly do you hear it?"

Hope blinked at the boy's question before she let out a light chuckle, her worry once more gone. Yes she could feel the Phoenix from him, but unlike with Cyclops it felt as if it was sleeping.

"So, is it true you fought Instructor Herb and won?" Hope decided to change the subject.

The pigtailed boy puffed his chest up confidently and proceeded to launch into a tale she had heard a lot about from Ryoga.

*** Avengers Tower ***

Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, watched as more and more reports of what the Phoenix Four were doing throughout the world trickled in. Making the _Horn of Africa_ lush again, making previously barren lands fertile again. Places that had no clean water now had it, and those places that needed energy got clean sources courtesy of Emma Frost.

Of course, in exchange for those, all ongoing wars on the planet had been stopped forcefully by Cyclops. He took apart their weapons, their vehicles and tanks. In a word, he told the soldiers "no more killing." Every place where a battle was breaking out, or any military action taking place, Cyclops would intervene. Many of the grateful populace in third world countries were starting to erect shrines in his honor.

Emma Frost had made it her personal mission to destroy ALL Sentinels in the world. All around the world, every Sentinel program and facility was completely destroyed, no trace remaining. The knowledge of making them wiped from the faculties' minds, the data completely purged from their systems. It did not matter where they were located or how deep the facility was hidden, Emma Frost was able to purge them all.

Meanwhile, Colossus had made it his personal mission to get rid of the entire world's nuclear arsenal. It took him three days. Finally, Namor was picking up any warship headed toward Utopia and returning them to their country of origin, on land. The world's fleet was now grounded.

The only one who had not done anything was the boy known as Ranma Saotome. That begged the question: did he really have the Phoenix, or was it inside Hope? Wolverine had explained the special relationship between the boy and the original Phoenix host, Jean Grey. Reed Richards had also talked of the boy's relationship with his ward in great detail.

Steve's well-honed instincts told him that Ranma Saotome was a part of this somehow, maybe even the most important part. But he had exhibited nothing, made no threatening moves, nothing. Aside from attacking Wanda when he returned from the dead, which could be written off, he was silent. That left Captain America with one other viable option stop the Phoenix Four.

"We need to get Hope," Captain America finally said as he looked up at a collection of the world greatest minds. Reed Richards, T'Challa, Tony Stark, Hank McCoy, all looked surprised at his declaration. The other Avengers were milling around the towers, though Wolverine and Hawkeye were in the room to offer insights.

"She is the key, with her we can figure out a way to stop the others."

"What about the boy, Ranma Saotome?" T'Challa, aka the Black Panther and ruler of of the most advanced civilization on Earth, Wakanda, asked as he looked to his leader.

Before Captain America could answer, Wolverine snorted.

"It'll be hard enough to get Hope away from Scott and them, you REALLY want to throw the kid in the mix?" the rebellious X-Man leaned against the wall while smoking a cigar.

"I know you have great respect for the boy, Logan, but he is still just a boy," T'Challa reminded the X-Man. His nose twisted a bit at the tobacco smell.

"A boy who killed Quicksilver when push came to shove," Wolverine looked at the assembled heroes, only Tony who had been there during the battle of the House of Magnus to see Ranma in action. Even then, just barely.

"He may be good at martial arts like Tony said, but we have Danny and Shang-Chi to reign him in- what's so funny?" Steve Rogers looked at the mutant, who was laughing.

"Sure, if you want them to get tossed around like rag dolls, be my guest!" Wolverine smirked as he folded his arms.

"Do you know that Shang-Chi's strongest punch is measured with the force of 850 pounds? Danny himself, without using his Iron Fist, is about the same."

"What about it?" T'Challa wondering where the mutant was going with this. Even bodybuilders would have a hard time doing as much. If they were lucky, they could do maybe a fourth.

"For the boy, if you can't take a four-ton hit, he'd consider you a pussy," Wolverine revealed, making the others' eyes widen. They were now talking superhuman-level abilities.

"The boy has lifted well over forty tons without breaking a sweat, he has thrown one thousand punches in three seconds, each with five tons of force behind them as his standard. You saw what he did to Quicksilver, so his reflexes speak for itself. Not only that, he has a repertoire of energy-type attacks and elemental manipulation that would put a lot of mutants to shame. And that's just his abilities, now throw in someone who has pure martial art skill at least on par with Danny and Shang-Chi into the mix and what do you think you have? Oh, and before I forget to mention it, he's been learning how to battle an array of super-powered people at the Xavier Institute before he was presumed dead."

At this point, the other Avengers and Fantastic Four members' eyes were wide with disbelief.

"Why wasn't he recruited into the Avengers Academy? He's not a mutant!" T'Challa could only think of the potential waste of someone like that with the X-Men. The boy could have been a symbol of hope for humans everywhere.

"No, he's not," Wolverine agreed, but elaborated more on what transpired. "But Jean gave him a choice, he picked the Institute. I believe Fury tried to recruit him at one time, even sent the Widow. The boy told us the Widow said he was not Avenger material."

"Someone get Natasha in here," Captain America looked to one of the other Avengers nearby, who quickly got on the comm with the sexy Russian spy.

"Wait, strength, speed, I assume he has durability too?" Tony asked Wolverine, who merely confirmed it with a nod.

"Energy blasts, elemental control, you sure he's not a Superhuman or Mutant?"

"He's a human. We tested him extensively," Wolverine grinned at the shocked looks on the others.

"What, is he some sort of super-man?" Johnny Storm did not realize the boy he had interacted with was that powerful. "He could have been a paragon for humanity!"

Wolverine chuckled even louder. "Paragon, huh? It fits the boy. As for Super-man? I guess that does too, but he already picked his codename when he was at the school."

The people in the room looked at Wolverine, waiting for him to continue as he took a deep drag from his cigar.

"The kid's callsign is Flatscan."

"Doesn't that word mean human?" Reed Richards asked with a curious expression. "In fact, it is used by the Sentinels to differentiate between mutants who do show up on their scanners and humans who do not register, thus flatscan."

"It's also a derogatory term used by mutants for humans, isn't it?" Tony turned to look over at the feral mutant.

"Its meaning, if I am correct, is that mutants are the next stage of evolution while a flatscan is a human who would be left behind and deemed worthless."

"Yep," Wolverine popped the 'P' in his reply. "But the kid took the word and owned it. In fact, before M-Day happened, Flatscan began to take on a whole different meaning for the students at the school, one filled with respect."

"The boy did this?" T'Challa asked again, once more his opinion beginning to change. "On purpose?"

"Mr. Saotome's way of thinking is very... unique," Hank McCoy cut in with a fond smile. "Stuff that might seem like a major issue for us does not seem like a big deal for him. What we considered petty, he considered a matter of life or death. I was privy to the conversation between him and Jean when he chose that name. Do you want to know the reason why he chose it?"

At this point, the leaders of the Avengers were very interested. Even Wolverine, who never knew of the boy's real reasoning.

"It was because he wanted to show mutants that humanity was still every bit as good, and that evolution is not a straight path, instead having many different branches," Beast smiled softly to himself.

"Most important of all, he wanted to show his fellow peers that both were equal, and there should be no need to call one better over the other. So he took that name to let our students and the rest of the world know that he was just a human. A powerful one, but still human nonetheless."

"And you said Widow said he wasn't good enough for the Avengers?" Tony asked, wondering what Natasha was doing at the time and if she would be kind enough to let him smoke some.

"That's what the kid told Jeannie," Wolverine shrugged before the door opened to reveal the redheaded assassin.

"What?" Natasha asked, looking at the group of men with her hands on her cocked hips.

"What made you give up on Saotome back then?" Captain America asked bluntly. No use talking around it.

"Ah yes, him. He was selfish, arrogant, cocky, and petty, does not play well with others, never worked on a team and would probably butt heads with a team leader, and showed the inability to lead anyone," Natasha rattled off from her perfect memory of why she dismissed the boy.

"He was not hero material, then. Obviously that changed, and I credit the Xavier Scho- I'm sorry, the Jean Grey School now, for their part in it."

"We could have molded him-" Tony began, but was cut off by Natasha holding up a hand.

"No, you could not, no one could," Natasha looked in their eyes by turns. "Not everyone wants to be a hero, and the boy did not. He liked to consider himself heroic, but he would not run into a burning building to save someone back then unless there was no one else around. He was passive, despite his active lifestyle. Then there was the fact he was forced to attend the Xavier School, Wolverine can tell you how his first day went."

"Not pretty," Wolverine chuckled at the memories. "Kid pissed off the entire student body, and was shunned by the end of day one. It was all a misunderstanding, of course, the boy had a fear of cats, his guide was a cat-type mutant, and the student body assumed his fear was racially motivated."

"You're shitting me, cats?" Tony looked incredulously at the rest of the people in the room. "Cats?"

"Cats," Wolverine and Beast confirmed.

"How? Why?" Tony scratched his head, perplexed, but the two X-men were not forthcoming with the information.

"It's because when the boy was six, his father wrapped him in fish sausages and threw him into a pit of starving cats to learn a technique called the Cat-Fist. When it did not work the first time, the man continued without hesitation," Natasha explained flatly, even as the men in the room, mutants excepted, looked horrified.

"Eventually, the boy went insane from the constant attacks by the cats, but he did learn the technique. Of course, he was only able to use it when he was in a crazed feral state. But because of that, it left the boy with a crippling fear of cats...yet another reason why he was disqualified, in case you are wondering."

"H-How can any father do that to their own son?!" Captain America did not normally get angry, but he was now. He made it a note to look into this monster of a father, but before that he turned to look at Logan.

"If that was the reason, why didn't you explain it to your student body and let the shunning happen?"

"Because the kid wanted it that way," Wolverine sighed as the others looked surprised by his answer. "Like Hank said, the boy's thought process is different. He would rather be shunned than be thought of as weak for fearing cats. We respected him enough to honor his wishes and he was happy we did. In truth, the shunning did not even bother him."

"To understand Mr. Saotome at that time versus how he is now, you must realize, he was raised by all accounts to be the best martial artist of his generation, along with an archaic goal of becoming 'A Man Among Men', his curse certainly did not help that any," Hank explained to those who did not understand why anyone would willingly hurt themselves like that.

"For him, any show of weakness was to be denied, any imperfection worked on, he was quite a handful then. But then Jean worked her magic and he learned to accept himself for who he was, just a person. Powerful, skilled, but at the end of all of that, just a boy and that it was okay to make mistakes."

"Something he would have never gotten at the Academy," Natasha gave Steve a level look. "We teach the kids to not let the past dictate their actions, we force them to be better, and we mentally pressure them. You can't do that to someone whose past is their very identity. What Saotome needed wasn't to learn to be different and remake himself. He needed to learn how to accept himself, something that only Xavier's school could provide."

There was a moment of silence as the other Avengers leaders digested the dossier on the boy. "Then we go after Hope only, we leave the boy out of it. He has yet to show himself as a threat, so he is not our enemy."

*** Utopia***

Ranma was walking down a corridor in the student section, talking to Evan as the Cuckoos were on Cerebra duty. He was right about them; they were like a mutant wi-fi system. Celeste had been so pissed when he suggested that for their callsign.

"-Beak also said he'd come visit us as soon as he can, what with having to take care of his kids and all," Evan told him, moving his arms animatedly.

"But you're gonna be surprised when you do see him, dude is all swole now!"

"Beak?" Ranma turned to look at Evan, who was now a half-foot taller than him. "Our Beak, scrawny little boy who used to be my roommate. Swole?"

"Dude ain't all yolk, bro," Evan chuckled. "And Sybil and Veronica plan on visiting when they get a break from their modeling shoots. They send their 'love,' you fucker."

"What?" Ranma grinned before he puffed out his chest. "Can't help if I'm too damn sexy."

"Shut up!" Evan playfully punched at his friend, who merely stepped out of it's way.

"So, what is up with Saffron, Hope, and err Pixie, I think her name was? Love triangle?" Ranma suddenly switched topics, to which Evan shrugged.

"Good-looking dude, hormonal teens, you know how it go-actually you don't, fuck you," Evan stopped as he glared at Ranma.

"What?!" Ranma looked at his friend defensively. "It's not like I asked for any of it. Besides, you think I had it easy? I have it tough too!"

Evan stopped and pointed a finger between the pigtailed boy's eyes. "I don't want to fucking hear that from a man who is pretty much drowning in pu-!"

 **BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!**

"The heck was that?" Ranma asked as he saw Evan look alarmed.

"It sounded like it came from the gaming area. Crap, I think the Avengers are after Hope again," Evan growled in anger as he had half-formed spikes out and rushed toward the sounds.

Ranma followed his friend to back him up, even as the building they were in shook violently.

 **THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!**

"Damn!" Evan was knocked off his feet even as Ranma ran toward the room faster, leaving his friend behind.

The moment Ranma entered the room he saw burnt Avengers, downed teen mutants (Saffron among them), Cyclops and Emma looked pissed in their Phoenix uniforms. But it was the woman the Avengers were rallying behind that surprised him, a woman that Hope was standing next to. Finally, something clicked in place and it all made sensed to him now. He cursed himself for his stupidity and gullibility.

Submersing himself into the Umisenken technique, Ranma moved speedily toward the retreating Avengers.

+++ Avengers Safe House +++

Wolverine felt something was wrong the moment they were back at the Avengers' hideout. His senses screamed that something was off. A moment later he found out why as the Scarlet Witch, who had been smiling at Hope, cried out in pain as her lower jaw snapped upwards. A moment later, even her cry was subdued as a very familiar pigtailed boy appeared behind the long time Avenger with his arms wrapped around her neck in a textbook choke hold. The Witch could do little but claw at his arms as the boy jumped away from the group, trying to free herself.

"WANDA!" Captain America roared as he took out his shield upon seeing their stowaway.

"Ranma?!" Hope Summers eyes widened in shock at what had just transpired.

"Let her go!" the battered looking Thor bellowed as he raised his hammer.

"Kid!" Wolverine shouted, completely surprised by the pigtailed boy attack on the woman. "What are you doing?!"

"You know, you all almost had me fooled," Ranma stared down the group coolly before he turned his head to the Scarlet Witch, who was looking at him in fear with tears in her eyes.

"Almost. It felt so real, but the world situation is too messed, too surreal for it to be happening."

Wolverine's eyes widened in shock. He thought Ranma had gotten over this; the other Avengers likewise had their weapons leveled at the boy, but were too afraid to move. The boy had death in his eyes.

"Grruuughh~~~!" The Scarlet Witch tried to summon her powers, but the need to breathe was overriding her concentration.

"If I snap her neck, everything should go back to normal," Ranma said sadly as he looked down at the brown-haired woman. He had never killed anyone in cold blood before, but just knocking her out would not change reality back.

"Son, let her go before you do something you WILL regret!" Captain America glared at the teenage boy before them, who held his longtime friend hostage.

"Kid! This is reality, this is real! Why would you think this is fake? I thought we were over this!" Wolverine desperately asked Ranma, he did not want to attack the boy, and the other Avengers might possibly kill him.

"I thought so too, until I realized that when I first woke up that she tried to overwhelm me with information," Ranma looked down at the Scarlet Witch, who had now stopped struggling to look at him in wide-eyed shock.

"Avengers fighting X-Men? You betraying the X-Men? Professor Cyclops being that militant? The power to remake worlds at their fingertips? Really? Am I the only one who sees it? Not to mention the people who died and supposedly came back. I believe Captain America there is one such person. This is not the world I grew up in."

"Kid," Wolverine took off his mask and sheathed his claws before approaching the boy slowly.

"I know it's a lot to take in, but you need to listen to me carefully right now. If you kill the Scarlet Witch, you will become a murderer while reality will remain the same. You are here kid, this IS your home."

Ranma appeared to hesitate as he listened to Logan's words. The man, despite his faults, had always been blunt, and his personality shone through even in the worse of times.

Wolverine held a hand up to the rest of the Avengers to get them to stand down. "Kid, what happened during the years you were gone is unbelievable. Heck, I might have had a hard time believing it myself. But it really did happen. She did slaughter the entire mutant race, and Hope here is the mutant messiah. Cyclops DID turn more militant, as much as I wish he had not. We all lost a lot, but the simple fact of the matter is that this is the reality we live in."

Ranma wanted to believe Logan, he really did, but everything in his mind screamed that the whole world was off kilter. He couldn't believe it was coincidence that it had all started after the Scarlet Witch warped reality. However, before he could go through with snapping the Witch's neck, she spoke to him.

"Krrrr mmmrrrr…" the Scarlet Witch gurgled out, making Ranma focus on her. For once, their eyes made contact and he saw something he had not ever seen her exhibit during the short time he'd known her. Sanity, sadness, resignation and ,most surprising of all, acceptance. As if to make that point clear, she stopped clawing at his arms and let go.

"Krrrr… mrree…."

Ranma was shaken, the woman was willing. Absolutely willing. To further her point, she closed her eyes, calmed her breathing and went limp. He looked up at Wolverine, whose expression was one of fear, not for her, but for him. The man cared about him. That kindness and warmth could not be so easily faked.

"Kid..." Wolverine urged the boy again. He could not fail Jeanie like this and let the boy turn into a cold-blooded killer. He heard other heroes come into the room, all shocked by the sight. But his focus was wholly on the boy.

"Please..."

Ranma dropped his hold and let go of the Scarlet Witch, who collapsed to her knees and coughed, trying to take in more breath.

"This messed up world is real after all?" he whispered softly as he stumbled back.

"Get her to medical, Hank!" Captain America ordered as he angrily stomped over to the boy, ready to deal some sort of payback, when the Scarlet Witch stood up and placed a hand against his chest. Even with her jaw swelling up and a purple bruise around her neck, she shook her head through the pain.

"Wanda..."

The Scarlet Witch shook her head again before she turned back to the boy. Twice now he could have killed her, thrice if she counted during her bout of insanity. Yet she was spared. He was standing there, no longer alert, but as if a heavy burden was on him. So, despite the pain she was in, she gave an apologetic bow commonly used in his home land, taking the boy off guard.

"Well, does that mean I'm under arrest now?" Ranma sighed and looked at Captain America, the clear leader of the group.

"No," the Super Soldier said before he assessed the boy. He knew a thing or two about waking up to find the whole world had changed.

"Do you support what Cyclops and the Phoenix Four are doing?"

"No," Ranma replied with a sigh. "I want to but, no I can't. It feels unnatural. Mr. Summers was a leader I respected, still respect. How could he have changed so much?"

"I know, kid," Wolverine walked up to the boy and put a hand on his shoulder. "I ask myself that all the time. Does that mean you are leaving Utopia's side?"

"More like I'm against what the Phoenix Four are doing," Ranma thought about his friends before he turned to Hope, who was still staring wide eyed at him.

"Hey."

"Hey..." Hope said softly. She was still trying to come to grips with the thought that Ranma did not think she was real.

"Well, now that that little standoff is over," Tony stood up and walked over to the pigtailed boy. "Welcome back, and this is for Wanda- Owwww!"

Ranma saw the punch from the billionaire coming, but wanted to gauge how strong an Avenger was...apparently not that strong, judging by how the man was currently nursing his hand.

"Good god!" Tony winced as he shook his hand. "Steve, you punch him! Damn kid, what are you made out of?"

"Badassness?" Ranma chuckled to himself mockingly. He noticed that some of the Avengers were looking at him warily, while others were more understanding. Mainly those that he had fought side by side with in the House of M.

"So you have realized that you are in fact home and we are not constructs of Wanda, right?" Steven Rogers asked, looking down at the boy from his impressive height.

"Yeah..." Ranma sighed. "But she's really no longer crazy? How can you be sure?"

"I think you should talk to her and decide for yourself," Wolverine told the boy, before he headed off to take a shower and grab a new uniform. It was barely holding together after the raid on Utopia.

"Why didn't you kill her?" Captain America suddenly asked Ranma, who took his attention off of the retreating Wolverine.

"What do you mean?" Ranma asked, a bit confused by the living embodiment of America's ideals.

"Wolverine told us a bit about your abilities. While Wanda might have been strong, if you wanted to you could have killed her before we could respond, but you chose to break her jaw instead so she couldn't cast spells," Captain America maintained an unreadable look at the pigtailed boy.

Ranma looked down at the floor a bit before he looked back up at the patriot. "Killing… does not come easy to me. I have only ever killed a single person in my life, and even that person came back whole before my eyes. It was not a …. good feeling."

To the boy's answer, Captain America did not say anything, but instead continued to stare at the boy as if trying to weigh his words. Then, without saying anything, he merely gave a tight nod and walked away to talk with the other Avengers.

"I guess that means he approves?" Hope slowly walked over to Ranma's side, feeling a bit more comfortable with the boy and his decision not to kill.

"So you thought I was fake?"

"Hey!" Ranma suddenly felt very guilty as he evaded the girl's eyes. "In my defense, you would have thought so too if everything changed this much!"

Hope, however, maintain her glare and the boy began to sweat. "You're different from how I imagined."

"Oh? And how did you imagine me?" Ranma raised an eyebrow and turned to face the girl.

"A man who had an answer to every problem?" Hope's tone told Ranma she wasn't even sure of her answer.

"Someone who was together and sure of himself?"

The martial artist teen could not help but feel he was being insulted.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Ranma grimaced, that was a blow to his ego.

"I never said I was disappointed," Hope looked at Ranma and tilted her head slightly. "I think it makes you more human to be this flawed."

Ranma narrowed his eyes at the girl, who simply nodded at him. But before she could elaborate, she was led away by Jessica Drew, who was dressed in a red and white costume that hugged her impressive curves.

With him now alone, he looked at the other Avengers assembled, some of whom slowly came over to welcome him back, those who he had fought side by side with. There was a small bond there. Eventually, they all left to go about their business, all save one.

"Seriously kid, you had me worried there for a minute," Spider-Man hung upside down from the ceiling, talking to the boy. He even brought the boy some food while he ate his own sandwich.

"Oh, did I forget to mention? Love the color scheme on your outfit."

Ranma considered his clothes, which were red and black, much like the Spider-themed hero. "Thanks, Mr. Parker."

That might have been the wrong thing to say, as the web crawler froze. "You know my name?"

"Yeah, they had an article about you, back in the altered world, and you felt the same so I knew it wasn't a different Spider-Man," Ranma replied, but saw the webhead still looked stunned before he slap his face and threw his hand into the air as if helpless.

"Parker luck strikes again! Damn it! Maybe I can have Steven wip- Wait, does that mean you remember the other too? Even my work wife?"

To this, Spider-Man pointed at the sexy-looking woman in yellow and red.

"Yep, Agent Drew, she was there too," Ranma confirmed.

"Wow, that's, err surprising, never thought you would remember everything there," Spider-Man sighed as he looked at the boy.

"Think you can keep it a secret?"

"Sure thing," Ranma agreed, just in time to see several of the Avengers moving toward him with Dr. Strange in tow.

"Errr, you guys about to get payback or something?"

"No," Dr. Strange pushed to the front and center as he smiled at the boy. "We are here to inquire about the Phoenix. We know Hope was supposed to possess it, but somehow you got a piece that might have been meant for someone else and suppressed it."

"Why do people keep on saying that? Mr. Summers assumed the same thing," Ranma sighed and gave a shrug. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"Mr. Saotome, this is serious," Captain America spoke up and looked at the boy. "What you use to suppress the Phoenix might be something Hope can use to control it."

"I really don't kn-" Ranma suddenly cut off as he did remember something, something he had thought very insignificant at the time.

"Nah, that can't be it! That would make no sense whatsoever."

"Mr. Saotome," This time it was Hank McCoy who spoke up. "Please, you thought of something, clearly. No matter how insignificant, please tell us what you did."

"Well, shortly after the crazy biiiii- errr Scarlet Witch killed me," Ranma corrected his previous nickname for the woman because the people in front of him were her friends.

"I felt myself getting torn apart, hurts like a bitch by the way, then...I felt hot. Very hot, like I was on fire. I figured it had something to do with what the witch did to me, so I countered it."

The other Avengers waited for the boy to continue, but he maddeningly just looked at them as if he was done.

"Mr. Saotome, what did you counter it with?" Dr. Strange pressed before anyone else could speak.

"It's a technique called the Soul of Ice," Ranma replied simply. But before he could elaborate, it was Danny Rand, aka the Iron Fist, who pushed his way through the group, staring at the him oddly.

" _You_ were able to learned the 'Heaven Blast of the Dragon' technique?"

TBC...

Once again thanks to my editors! They have things going on in their lives but still took the time out! Much thanks.

Now as you can see, Wanda was once again my butt monkey but THIS is the final time. No more! Misunderstanding is now 100% gone. I mean you can't just believe and easily accept it right? I always had that problem in the actual comic. SO now she paid her dues and things will progress. Promise :D Now when Ranma meet Wiccan and Speed though... they might have words and Ranma doesn't have problem punching guys in the faces.

Anywho, for those that was thinking there would be a Hope x Ranma. Nope. Brother and Sister is the best you get and you'd LIKE IT! Unlike Broken Future where he raised her, this one is more instinctively protectiveness. It's a Phoenix thing. Beside Ranma Harem has been fed and is now overstuffed! There's triplets for goodness sakes. Oh yes, and for those Curious. Beak got buff and HOT. Google search him sometime. His mutation was holding him back.

Also most of Ranma feats was done with research by other fans who analyzed everything he did in the manga . Now add a full year of development on top of those ablity and Ranma is a monster.

So a lot of the scene here did happen like in cannon but with a twist. :D Hope ya liked it.

Once again thank you for the kind reviews. The last chapter was posted during Fanfic dot net wonky era so I didn't see a lot of your reviews until MUCh later. Thanks again!

As always, C+C Welcome reviews Appreciated!


	5. Avengers vs X-Men: Part Four

Ranma belong to Rumiko Sensei

X-Men belong to Marvel Studios

 **Special Thanks to Minyu for doing work on this!**

Homo Superior

Avengers vs X-Men: Part Four

*** Avengers Safe House ***

The pigtailed youth appeared a bit taken aback by the Iron Fist's tone and nodded slowly, although he narrowed his eyes at the mystical marital art Superhero.

"Yeah, that's a good translation for it," Ranma turned back to the senior members of the Avengers.

"Danny, you are familiar with what Mr. Saotome is talking about?" Captain America asked their resident martial arts expert.

Danny Rand, aka the Iron Fist, faced the other Avengers, a bit embarrassed. "It's a technique which allows you to use a person's energy against them. It was something I was supposed to learn, but failed..."

"Dost thou think that technique helped the young warrior subdue the Phoenix within?" The golden God of Thunder, Thor, asked curiously.

"Possibly," said Danny as he cupped his chin. "The thing you have to understand about us martial artists is that we run hot, even my Iron Fist runs hot. However, the Heaven Blast of the Dragon technique requires one very important step before you could use it. It required you to learn the Soul of Ice."

"And this Soul of Ice is..." Hawkeye was suddenly interested in this kung fu mumbo jumbo.

"It's a technique where the practitioner voids themselves of emotion completely. Instead of running hot, they produce cold chi," Danny elaborated as he showed both of his hands and infused them with his chi.

"Mixing their cold chi into their opponent's hot energies, they trigger the attack. In fact, the Soul of Ice is just a prerequisite for the attack itself."

"You were unable to learn this technique, Friend Rand?" Thor seemed very interested as a person who could also create storms of a similar nature.

"I was too hotheaded to learn it," Danny confessed bashfully. "But, I think I am beginning to understand now. If the Phoenix runs on nothing but emotion, Mr. Saotome's Soul of Ice could be voiding his emotions to cool himself both physically and mentally-"

"Then it has nothing to feed on, so it shuts down..." Tony injected eyes suddenly widen as he remembered the blue flicker and cold blast from Ranma's reappearance.

"Exactly," Danny nodded in satisfaction he then turned to Ranma and gave him a martial arts bow with his fist pressing against his palm in respect.

"You are quite the skilled one for one so young."

"Well of course," Ranma puffed out his chest. He always loved praise that acknowledged his skills. "I'm the best after all!"

"My masters in K'un-Lun would probably love to meet you if we ever get the chance," Danny smiled at the young warrior. He felt so old now with a young fighter of this caliber in the world.

"Ranma, would you be willing to teach the technique to Hope?" Captain America asked the pigtailed boy, who suddenly looked nervous.

"Errr… I… can't," Ranma looked away from the patriot and the rest of the Avengers.

"Why not?" Captain America inquired, but it was Hawkeye who spoke up first.

"Probably cause she can't do all that kung fu, you know, "be one with the universe" type of stuff."

"Well, that's not _completely_ the reason why..." Ranma winced but, like Jean taught him, honesty was the best policy. "You see, I was TAUGHT the technique by a master not of my school. I can't just teach something of theirs without permission."

"Who do we have to get permission from?" Danny asked, understanding the boy's dilemma more than anyone else.

"Errr, you might not know her, but Cologne of the Amazons. I usually just call her Old Ghoul-? What?" Ranma was explaining until he saw the other Avengers giving him weird looks, even Danny Rand.

"You know Matriarch Ke Lun? Personally?" Danny Rand was the first to speak up. However, the boy looked back at him with new wariness in his stance.

"What did that dried-up Old Ghoul do now?" Ranma asked, sighing internally, but was surprised when he heard a laugh from Dr. Strange.

"Sorry, my young friend, but I have not ever heard anyone talk to her so disrespectfully and live to tell about it," Dr. Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth coughed into his hand and laughed a bit more.

"Wait, you guys know her?" Ranma was a bit surprised when he saw them grimace.

"She is a troublesome vixen," Thor sighed forlornly.

"Vixen? Cologne?" Ranma suddenly dry heaved, wanting to retch in front of the Avengers. " _Seriously_?"

"It appears young Saotome's experience with her is quite different from ours," Thor looked at the boy with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, but _vixen_?" Ranma could not even began to fathom it. Well no, that was not true. There was that one time he traveled back into the past.

"So… how do you guys know her? She piss you guys off too?"

The Avengers once more shared a look and grimaced.

"She is neither friend nor foe," Danny Rand answered truthfully. "She has appeared to be our ally at times, and other times she denies us help."

"That don't sound so ba-"

"She was also the one who taught Hydra, A.I.M and several of our more prominent enemies to fight, enemies that were taken for granted..." T'Challa growled darkly. He remembered Killmonger, and his nemesis' boost in skill that had nearly cost him everything.

"She's training bad guys now?!" Ranma was a bit surprised at that. He thought she wouldn't go that far.

"For a time, over four years ago now, but those improved villains always touted her as their _shifu_ ," Danny shifted his jaw around. Villains proficient in kung fu were tough on the superhero community at large.

Ranma blinked. Suddenly a lot of things made more sense during the incidents at the Sentinel factory and the attack on the school.

"And there were other times our paths crossed when we needed help of a magical nature," Dr. Strange cut in fondly.

"The woman is also skilled in the mystic arts."

"Yeah she is," Ranma agreed darkly. Her magic crap had made his life hell way back in the day. Still, there was the whole matter of training Hope.

"Well, if you guys are not on friendly terms with her, chances are she won't give permission. Not to mention finding her. Last I checked, her little restaurant closed down- what?"

In answer to this, Danny simply pointed out the window, Ranma followed along and found the skyline of New York. Then something caught his eye. He pressed his face against the glass in an effort to really believe what he was seeing.

"Cologne _Corp_?!" Ranma jaw dropped upon seeing the large sign on one of the taller buildings. It had a double 'C' logo, with one smaller "C" inside a larger "C".

"She has her hand in everything, and recruits very aggressively from the top colleges around the world. Not to mention the arms deals she has with the Chinese government and other foreign nations," Tony Stark spoke up in admiration.

"She also runs a very private military group that only gets hired out to big spenders. Nothing was ever really illegal, that I know of, but her success rate at protecting assets or delivering secret information cannot be matched by any other existing company. Not only that, she had zero Skrull infiltrations during their Secret Invasion, as none of the tech on her weapons was ever compromised. She even told Osborn to 'fuck off' when he was ruling for a while. That took balls."

"Still… _Cologne_?!" Ranma half-gaped at the large structure in the middle of the city.

"If she was ever your master, then you should count yourself fortunate," Danny Rand spoke up, but this time there was a hint of envy in his voice.

"But… but she used to run a ramen shop..." Ranma replied lamely, and for a moment it was as if he was back in that universe with the young Jean again.

"Yeah, right!" Tony began to laugh loudly, followed by some of the other Avengers in amusement. "Hey Steve, you can ever imagine a woman like that running a rinky-dink noddle shop?"

Steve himself chuckled at the absurd thought.

"W… W-..." Ranma was at a loss for words. What next? Happosai not being a pervert? He took a seat while still staring at the Amazon's building.

"Well, now that we know she trained you, I'll give her a call and let you ask her yourself," Tony gave the boy a weird look but shrugged.

"Friday, give Colo-"

"NOOOOO!" Ranma stood up and frantically looked around the room more than familiar with A.I Technology due to the X-Men own. "Friday, don't listen to a word he says! Cancel! Cancel!"

"First, Friday only listens to me," the billionaire playboy pointed out. "Secondly, what the hell?"

"If I've been dead for the past three years, chances are she doesn't know I'm still alive," Ranma answered in a strange tone, as he realized he was finally free from her.

"Which means if she finds out I'm still alive, forget about teaching Hope, she'd drag me back to be her Son-In-Law again! Nope. No more fiancee drama. No way!"

"Did you just say… Son-In-Law?" Tony stared at the boy, his eyes piercing. "Mr. Saotome, you have said too much, and yet at the same time, too little."

"W-whadda you mean?" Ranma saw Tony and Hawkeye giving him some sort of hateful look.

"You see, Saotome, as far as I know, Matriarch Cologne only has one direct heiress. That being Xian Pu, the number-one most sought after bachelorette in the business world. Now, you are telling me you were engaged to her?" Tony asked with deadly calm.

"You mean Shampoo?" Ranma blinked. "And what do you mean 'most sought after?' I mean, yeah, she's cute. But most sought after? Really?"

Wordlessly, Tony pointed to the big screen, where his A.I Friday showed a picture of Xain Pu that was on the cover of Forbes 500.

Ranma eyes slowly widened as he took in the image of Shampoo. The battlemace in the background hanging on the wall confirmed it, he recognized those anywhere. His first impression at a glance was that his ex-fiancee looked… very different. First, she was leaning against a professional work desk with a computer on top of it. The dumplings in her hair were gone, instead it was curled prettily. Some of it went over her shoulders while the rest flowed down her back. Her dress skirt was short, showing off long, perfectly smooth legs. Her blouse clearly outlined her generous assets, and there was hardly any makeup on her. She was holding that day's stock price and smiling seductively at the camera. And, he could be wrong, but it appeared she had gotten taller. Much taller.

"Hpmh!" Hope's voice broke the spell as she crossed her arms. "She ain't so great!"

Ranma turned to the redhead and then turned back to the picture. Two words came to his mind when he compared the two. Girl and Woman.

"So you do know her," Tony looked at Ranma, and suddenly wrapped his arm around the boy in a friendly manner. "Hey, since you don't want her, can you put in a good word for me?"

"Tony!" Captain America could surely admire the woman on the screen, but Tony was taking it too far.

"Show me Cologne," Ranma suddenly realized he needed to see with his own eyes who the Avengers were talking about. So with a beep later, Cologne's picture came up.

"Alright, fine, he can have Ms. Xian. How about you introduce me to her, Ranma?" Tony nudged the boy with a grin.

Ranma eyes once again was glued to the screen. He had seen this Cologne before, but she was from three hundred years in the past. There was no trace of the dried-up Old Ghoul anywhere. However, what gave her away was the staff she used to moved around on was in her hand. The Cologne in the picture was leaning with both of her hands over it in an imperial king pose. She was wearing a black pantsuit, which did nothing to hide her figure, her hair was tied into a tight bun, and she wore some sort of translucent glasses which looked more for style than function. In the background of the picture was the base floor of her building's entrance. The caption read: All Hail the New Empress of the World.

"So she was really the one that taught you the Heaven Blast of the Dragon?" Danny looked at the boy for confirmation.

"Y-Yeah," Ranma voice came out croaky. "T-that's her alright."

Tony was once again all smiles. "Well, since you know each other..."

"No, and I mean to both," Ranma stopped the billionaire from contacting the new business mogul. "I'm sorry, but talking to her will bring a lot more trouble on your heads, and you already have to deal with the Phoenix Four. You really don't want her as an added headache."

Captain America looked at the boy and noted his determined expression. If contacting their sometime ally/sometime enemy meant even more trouble, then he did not think the risk was worth it.

"Fine, we'll just have to do without."

"Sorry," Ranma felt like a heel, but honor dictated his actions still. Even if it no longer binded him so tightly. Now, if they had asked about the Umi-Sen-Ken then he, being the next head of the Saotome family, would have probably been okay with it.

"Hmm, well there is a way around it," Danny looked up at the disappointed leaders of the Avengers. "K'un-Lun does have a copy of the technique. Surely if I give that to Hope and Ranma, it shouldn't matter then?"

Ranma thought about it. If Hope knew the technique but just need help utilizing it well… that might be an acceptable loophole for him.

"Yeah, that could work."

"Great, while the boy does that, we need to play Rope-A-Dope with the X-Men so they won't find Hope," Captain America said before the group moved away, leaving the two teens together.

"So those were the hussies Ms. Akane was always talking about," Hope muttered as she glared at the Asian beauty on the screen.

Ranma heard her, but chose not to say anything. Instead, he suddenly realized that this was the third time he was teamed up with a redhead! Just what was it with him and redheads?

"So, wanna find something to eat, I'm starving," Ranma spoke up as he saw the Avengers started to busy themselves. They appeared to be packing up all essential items. Looks like they were moving locations.

"Yeah," Hope said, also looking at the hustle and bustle of the Avengers.

" **Then if you would follow me this way, I will prepare something for you**."

Ranma and Hope looked up at where the sound was coming from, but realized it was Tony's A.I, Friday. There were bars of light flashing in a direction, clearly the machine was leading the way. The moment they entered the kitchen, they saw the Scarlet Witch was already in there eating a light snack. Her jaw, which Ranma had broken, appeared to be fully healed.

' _Probably used her magic,_ ' Ranma guessed. The woman saw him and was a bit startled, but surprisingly enough, there was no hostility or fear in her eyes, just shame.

"Ranma," Hope nudged her pigtailed companion. "Don't you think you should apologize?"

"Mr. Saotome does not owe me an apology," the Scarlet Witch smiled kindly at the redheaded teen and looked to the boy. "And he never will. Instead, it is I who owe him one."

Ranma looked at the woman's face for any sign of the insanity he saw before.

"Ranma..." Hope nudged the boy, who was still staring at the woman.

"So… you're really not crazy anymore?" Ranma asked the woman bluntly and heard Hope gasp in shock.

"You really do have no tact!" Hope marveled at how the boy could be so callous. While the woman might not be crazy, she might have a relapse if it was brought up constantly. That was one of the reasons why the X-Men feared her and avoided any association with her.

However, the Scarlet Witch could only smile sadly. "I'm not, thanks to my sons, they redeemed me and brought me back. I know I do not deserve this second chance they granted me, but I will do my best to atone for everything."

Ranma, however, looked at the woman with dubious eyes. "You mean your sons were real? I thought they were fake and made up."

Wanda breath caught for a moment, but realized the boy did not really know her. So she sat at the counter while the Friday rolled out food made from Avengers' Tower cafeteria and told them her story while they ate. She told them of how she lost her two sons, the real ones, that they were taken from her by a villain. She told them how the Avengers erased her memories to prevent her from having a psychotic break, how it failed, and that in her anger and hatred for her loved ones, she attacked them with all the enemies they had ever encountered. She told the two teens how her brother, Quicksilver convinced her not to give up on her life, but instead give everyone what they wanted. And finally she told them how her true sons, who she thought had died, came to save her and redeemed her. She felt undeserving of their love, but was saved by it nonetheless. So now she was doing her best to be a good role-model, while at the same time atone for all she'd done.

Ranma was on his twelfth plate with Hope was on her second by the time the Scarlet Witch was finished. Hope looked a bit shocked by the confession, not having expected so many personal details involved, while Ranma just chewed on his filet mignon and considered the Witch in front of him.

"Why are ya sharing so much with complete strangers?" He pointed out, having listened to her story for any sense of falsehood. Besides a sadness that appeared to hang over her like a heavy cloud, it felt honest.

"Perhaps," Wanda looked down at her lap. "But, while I might not have taken your life, I did take away three years from you. That is something I cannot undo no matter how hard I try. With the depowered mutants I can actually give them their powers back, but you… no, I wounded you permanently. You deserve the truth, no matter how ashamed I am of it."

Hope stopped eating and looked at Ranma in a new light, finally understanding what it must have been like for the boy. Why the Scarlet Witch did not hold a grudge, nor the Avengers. Sure, they were angry when Ranma held her hostage, but afterward everyone understood. If what she said was correct, besides Ranma, all of the other teammates who died at her hand had been brought back with ease.

"So you can't send me back, huh," Ranma sighed, but knew better than to mess with time. He aced Professor Cable's class in Temporal Mechanics after all.

"I'm sorry," Wanda looked at the boy. Honestly, he reminded her so much of her sons when she had first seen them. Strong, proud, and unapologetic for doing what they did. When she returned to the Avengers, she had dug up any information about Ranma Saotome that she could. Natasha was nice enough to provide her his dossiers, she guessed the ex-assassin knew what it was like to have red on your ledger.

However, the relief she felt at no longer being a child-killer was gone when Ranma had returned. She did not mind him taking shots at her at Avengers Academy, she owed him too much. In a way, the X-Men were his family and friends, and the moment he woke up the Avengers appeared to be trying to tear it apart. She could understand his anger, his disbelief and denial that none of this was real, that perhaps it was created by her. That's why she offered him the only thing she could to sooth him.

Her life.

But he was a good boy, and made the hardest decision anyone could have to make. He let his killer go.

Ranma never took his eyes off the Scarlet Witch the entire time she was lost in thoughts, he searched her for the tiniest bit of wrongness, any hint of insanity. But there was none of that, just guilt and shame.

Hope looked at the boy, who had not turned his eyes from the Scarlet Witch for quite some time, but she knew better than to interrupt. However, the pigtailed boy let out a long sigh as he broke eye-contact with the Scarlet Witch and leaned back in the chair.

"What's done is done," Ranma sighed again. He was never getting his life back, but he would have to move forward. Jean would have wanted him to do as much. How he wished he had her counsel, now of all times.

"With the amount of times I kicked you when you were down and broke your jaw, consider us even."

The Scarlet Witch looked at the boy in shock before nodding in acceptance, but deep down, she realized that they would never be even. She decided then and there that she'd look out for him, whether he knew about it or not. She would always have his back.

She swore it.

"Wanda, we need you for the move," Steve Rogers' voice came in loud and clear through the speakers in the kitchen area.

"Looks like it's time to move," Wanda told the two, and noted the boy was now working on his fifteen plate. Just where did it all go?

"Where are we going?" Hope asked as she got up and pushed her plate into the disposal.

*** **Wakanda – Three days later** ***

Ranma dodged a left punch from Hope, then a right, weaved under a kick, and another kick. He had seen her fake-out from a mile away and yawned as he leaned away to stretch his back.

"Seriously Hope, are you even trying?" the pigtailed boy asked as he raised an eyebrow at the pretty redhead, who was breathing heavily.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Hope roared as she tried everything that her teachers, Ms. Akane, Ms. Psylocke, Cyclops, and her Father had taught her about hand-to-hand.

"Now that's just sloppy. Here, let me help you fix it," Ranma tilted his body to the side to let Hope kick past him as he poked her leg to get her to straighten it out, causing the girl to stiffen and lose her balance a bit from the redistribution of her weight.

"Waaah!" Hope tried to regain her balance, but could not. However, before she could end up a crumbled mess, Ranma was already beside her, his hand on her back to support her as he used his other hand to straighten out her kick and pull it even higher. Ranma's hands were only on her for a couple of seconds at most before he was standing away from her again.

"There, now that looks like a proper high kick," Ranma nodded sagely as the girl collapsed to her knees, defeat easily seen in her shoulders. She'd completely given up.

"I hate you!" Hope growled at the boy who was only a year older than her. Even against Miss Akane she had never felt so outmatched. He also had no mutant ability she could copy, so there was no great equalizer for her.

"Good! Now you're sounding more like a proper fighter," Ranma grinned as he extended his hand to help the girl up.

Since the move to the African nation of Wakanda, there was little to do as the Avengers went out to battle the X-Men. The Avengers didn't want either of them along for some reason. Even now, Ranma couldn't understand the details of the reasoning why the two superhero teams fought. In a way, he thought it was stupid of both sides to keep on fighting like this. Surely they could have worked together. They SHOULD be working together.

Hope, having now regained her breath, grabbed the pigtailed boy's outstretch hand and hiked herself up. She then smirked deviously as she noticed Ranma was distracted. She tried to bend his arm to give herself leverage and then throw him over her shoulder, only...

"Tsk Tsk, good try though!" Ranma exclaimed cheerfully as he yanked at her arm while going over her shoulder, throwing her off-balance. He then tucked his legs in even as his back hit the ground and Hope rolled on top of him.

"And up you go!"

Hope was taken off-guard by the entire thing, and only realized that she might have messed up when she felt Ranma's feet on her stomach, pushing her up to slam into the metal ceiling.

"UGH!"

With the wind knocked out of her, Hope could only fall listlessly back to the ground. Or she would have had a pair of arms not gently caught her in a bridal carry. Panting from exertion, she could only glare at the boy.

"A for effort," Ranma imitated his teachers as he dropped the girl unceremoniously, letting her butt hit the ground first.

"A-Aren't you suppose to be helping me learn the Soul of Ice?" Hope gingerly rubbed her behind as she got up. Her sports training outfit was now soaked with sweat while Ranma looked as pristine as when they started. That was so not fair!

"Sure, as soon as I can make heads or tails of it," Ranma replied as he noticed several of the Avengers coming back from whatever mission they had been on, the group including the Scarlet Witch.

"Hey, is Hawkeye missing?"

Hope turned her attention away from the boy and looked at the returning Avengers. Ranma was right, the purple archer was not with them. And she knew he was with Wanda's group before they left.

"Looks that way…" Hope agreed. She saw an angry Wanda Maximoff stomp away from the two leaders of the Avengers, Steve Rogers and Tony Stark.

"Wonder what happened there..."

"Judging by their expressions, they got their butts kicked," Ranma bluntly guessed. There was a hint of defeat in the way they carried themselves.

"You can go to her if you want, I'll try and figure out whatever Iron Fist gave me."

Hope looked at Ranma before she walked away, leaving the boy standing in their training area.

Ranma watched the girl go before he pulled out the technique that Danny Rand had given to him. It was supposed to be the technique for the Soul of Ice and, by extension, the Hiryuu Shoten Ha. But what he saw was not what Cologne had taught him. It had weird stuff on it, something about pressure points and an odd way of focusing.

Once more, Ranma mentally thanked the Old Ghoul for everything she did for him. Danny had never even heard of metal that could absorb chi.

' _Just who are you, Ke Lun?_ '

Frustrated, Ranma sat down and studied the way it was taught on the scroll and tried to think of a way to disseminate it to a girl who was a total novice in understanding the spiritual side of the art. He wasn't done when he saw the Avengers walking away from their meeting with Hope in tow. The girl looked over to him and signaled that she'd tell him what had transpired later.

"Kid," Tony came over with the Iron Fist and one more bulky-looking man in tow. The man was dressed mostly black but showed a lot of his skin for some odd reason. His demeanor was also very stern a look that was directed at the pigtailed boy.

Ranma disliked him immediately.

"Yeah?" Ranma asked as he and the man sized each other up. Before he knew it, the man's arm whipped out faster than lighting to hit him. Ranma deflected immediately, but noticed the other incoming hand. He stepped back and struck the back of the man's hand hard to deflect that one, then he threw a quick punch back.

The man blocked, but Ranma had anticipated that as he leaned in and threw a fake high kick which, at the last moment, changed direction and went low, striking the man's thigh with force. The man grunted from the attack, but he did not cave as his fists blurred at Ranma.

All of this first exchange happened within seconds.

"What the- _Danny_ , control your guy!" Tony Stark berated Iron Fist, who was merely observing the two martial artists as they probed each other's defenses. Truly, the boy Ranma was a prodigy to go toe-to-toe with Lei Kung, the Thunderer, the man who had trained over nine generations of Iron Fists.

Ranma had to admit, the man was skilled, very skilled from a technical standpoint, with considerable strength to back it up. However, Ranma was faster. And perhaps that was his saving grace, in terms of technique the man was extremely knowledgeable, whereas Ranma had problems even keeping up with the switch ups even as he did the same to counter. However, his speed was the great equalizer, and with his speed he would end it.

"Amaguriken!"

However, the moment his first barrage was to hit the man, the man's eyes glowed bright blue and a loud powerful thunderclap detonated, throwing him back into the wall with a heavy thud.

"Ugh!" Ranma dropped from the wall onto the ground, but got up quickly as the man found himself surrounded by Avengers. The thunderclap must have drawn them.

"Captain, this is Lei Kung, the Thunderer of K'un-Lun," Iron Fist interjected as he too looked over at Ranma.

"He is here to offer Hope a safe harbor to hide from X-Men. They would not be able to find her there."

"And what was all that about? Why was he fighting with Mr. Saotome?" Captain America asked, his shield still at the ready. Ranma could not help but feel a bit touched by the man's stance.

"The Iron Fist told me a boy was to teach Hope Summers the Heaven Blast of the Dragon, an ancient K'un-Lun technique. I wanted to verify if he even had the ability to teach anyone." The man known as Lei Kung answered in a straightforward manner.

"I see that the Iron Fist was correct in his assessment."

"It's not a big deal anyway," Ranma spoke up in defense of the man. "Martial artists do this all the time. Although usually they offer a challenge first."

Ranma gave the man a pointed look, who merely tipped his head a bit in acknowledgment.

"Besides, from what Dann-err _Iron Fist_ told me, K'un-Lun was _supposedly_ the birthplace of kung fu. I don't mind seeing if it true or not. No harm no foul."

With that, Captain America lowered his shield and the other Avengers relaxed. With a nod, the others returned to command center, no doubt with other missions to complete.

"I have just one question to ask," Tony spoke up, looking a bit hopeful. "Is the offer only for Hope and Ranma, or can we go as well?"

Before Lei Kung could answer, a Wakandian guardsman ran into the room and knelt before Black Panther. He was panting and appeared out of breath.

"My King! A wall of water-" the guard gulped in some more air. "-A wall of Water has risen up and surrounded the city!"

"Namor's here," Captain America face became set as he looked at Hope and Ranma. "You two go to K'un-Lun, now!"

" _ **WAR!**_ "

That one single cry could be heard all the way down in their base.

"So seriously, does that offer extend to us as well?" Tony turned again to Lei Kung, demanding an answer. The man's nod made the suitless brilliant scientist exhale in relief.

"Alright, okay, I am gonna need hands to help me carry our stuff, because seriously, I need it all."

Tony waved his hand to indicate all of the heavy-looking equipment around them.

"The Avengers will go and hold him out of as long as possible, save as much equipment as you can," Captain America looked to the heavy hitters of the Avengers as they rushed to confront the Namor Phoenix.

"Hey, Hope, you go on ahead," Ranma told the redhead girl, who looked at him in surprise. "I'll help move the heavy stuff for Mr. Stark and meet you over there. Kay?"

Tony looked like he wanted to argue, but Ranma picked up one of larger boxes that must have weighed thirty tons with ease and pushed it thorough the tunnel Lei Kung made, and he was already on the next box. They didn't have to abandon anything at all.

"Go!" Tony told the girl, who was then dragged to the other side by Wolverine.

However, no sooner had Hope and Wolverine gone through than the structure they were in was ripped open effortlessly. The first thing that they noticed was sunlight filling the lab, however, it was the man in the air with a fiery aura that drew their attention. The man looked down imperiously at them, eyes looking over them as if they were gnats.

Ranma noticed the King of Atlantis' face began to form a scowl when he realized there was no sign of Hope Summers. The man eyed than fell upon him only to twist in distaste.

That pissed Ranma off.

For some reason, the pigtailed teen really did not like how the Sub-Mariner was looking at him, dismissing him like that. Even during his stay in Utopia the man was standoffish, a real prick. Now oddly enough, that made him angry.

" **This ends today, Avengers!** " Namor roared as primal cosmic energies gathered within his body. He would do what the other X-men were too weak to do. What Cyclops had failed to do.

" **Submit before your king!** "

Ranma instantly saw red as the Phoenix-powered mutant fired into the exposed base, even as Wanda, Dr. Strange and other Avengers formed shields to block the assault. As Namor attacked struck him, the pigtailed boy saw red.

Namor scoffed at the defenses the Avengers threw up, but suddenly felt a fluctuation in his very soul. The next thing he knew, he saw a fist close in on his lower jaw at incredible speed and send him out of Wakanda. Rather painfully, as his jaw was shattered like glass.

Ranma blinked as he suddenly found himself very high in the air, his red-tinted vision cleared and his moment of intensed anger tapered off.

"Mister Saotome?" Dr. Strange voice sounded like a whisper, yet Ranma heard it clearly. It was also very uncertain.

Looking down where he knew the Avengers would be, he saw all of them looking up at him, cautious and wariness in their eyes.

" **What the-?** "

Ranma instantly stopped as his voice, or rather his female voice sounded very weird. A quick look down confirmed that he was indeed in his girl form. However, his outfit was now very form-fitting teal color, but the inside lining was gold. He was able to tell as his cuffs were rolled back to expose it. Even his sandals were gold.

" **The heck happened to me?!** "

However, before Ranma could get an answer, a powerful roar from a certain Phoenix-empowered mutant was heard all throughout Wakanda.

" **RANMA SAOTOME! PREPARE TO** _ **DIE**_ **!** "

TBC!

AN: First of all thanks to my editors who did work on this! Secondly! A lot of people saw it coming, some didn't! But that's all good! ALL good! We gonna fix the fucked up X-Men verse one fanfic at a time!

Anyway. A bit of bad news. My computer was pretty damn old and it pretty much died. Perhaps the surge protector , being old itself, was not working, whatever the case it died. Can't even boot the main drive when I brought it to a friend house and stuck it in a functional computer.

The good news was, this chapter was up in the clouds when I was working on it, the bad news is that the other two chapter is on a bricked drive. So until I get a new computer and re-write it, this is the temp stopping point of this story. I actually was able to post this and do minor edits from my smart phone for this chapter but no way in hell am I writing on a smart phone.

So, stories are not dead, just the things to write the story with is, dunno how long it would take but I am gonna go with a trademark of Blizzard. "Soon"

To give you an idea of how old my computer is, when I got it it was running with the cutting edge AMD Phenom II. So yeah just be patient. It will happen when it happens. Beyond that I can't promise anything else.

If you have a comment about the computer please PM me, I could have just posted this problem in a separate chapter but I did not want the clutter. Other than that please leave a review if you like about the story itself and keep all reviews about the story :)

Happy Easter/Passover!

I was gonna post this chapter tomorrow but people might have thought I was playing a joke. I am not.

Once more, C+C Welcome, Reviews appreciated!


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